Dry Needling in Katy, TX for Muscle Pain Relief and Recovery

What Is Dry Needling?

Dry needling is the practice of inserting a sterile, thread-like needle into the affected muscle areas. The needle penetrates many layers of the skin, going beyond the subcutaneous tissue to get near or penetrate the muscle tissue and provide stimulation. This treatment is one of the modalities we offer under our trigger point therapy in Katy. Unlike acupuncture, which focuses on improving the body’s energy, dry needling relieves pain, improves muscle condition, and releases tension to help the patient move freely. Only trained professionals specializing in dry needling can perform this treatment method. It is relatively painless and may require multiple sessions. Often included as part of a personalized treatment plan, this treatment may help patients feel immediate improvement.

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How Does Dry Needling Help with Pain and Recovery?

Deep needle penetration reaches the affected muscle and triggers the tissue and the nerve to react. The stimulation forces your body to deliver what the triggered muscle needs. As a result, it relieves pain, softens muscle tissue, and improves mobility.

Here’s what happens when a trigger point is released:

Dry needle to the hand to increase bloodflow

Improved blood flow

A stiff muscle doesn’t get enough blood supply, and needle penetration helps soften the tissue, allowing the blood to flow through the muscle fibers.

Reduced tension

The increased blood flow to the muscle tissue helps flush out the lactic acid that causes the muscle to stiffen, thereby reducing stress.

Less pain

During the dry needling process, your body releases endorphins, which act as its painkiller.

chiropractor-stretching-a-young-man-arm-in-medical-office

Increased range of motion

The needle penetration, which promotes healing and releases tension, has an overall effect of helping your muscles move better.

What to Expect During a Dry Needling Session

Our dry needling in Katy involves sessions with trained practitioners. The sessions are usually quick and may involve mild electric stimulation of the muscles. Depending on your condition, dry needling is often combined with other rehabilitation treatments or chiropractic care.

After you’ve set up an appointment with our clinic, here’s what you can expect after filling out the forms:

Initial evaluation: We talk to you about your symptoms and ask questions to assess your condition and determine whether the treatment suits you.
Targeted dry needling session: We educate you about the dry needling treatment and how we will proceed before setting you up for a session.
Sensations: The needles would stay in for 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the condition of the muscle, and you may feel sore afterwards, which is normal.
Post-treatment care and stretching: We will prescribe various exercises you can do at home to further improve muscle recovery until your next session.

Is Dry Needling Right for You?

Unlike other trigger point treatments, such as myofascial massages, dry needling doesn’t involve applying pressure on stiff or knotted muscles. It uses stimulation deep into the affected muscle to help relieve tension and pain without inducing resistance on your part.

This targeted treatment is ideal for:

Athletes
People with desk jobs
Patients recovering from injury or surgery
Chronic pain sufferers

It’s important to note that dry needling isn’t advised for patients with certain medical conditions. We highly recommend you consult with us or your primary care physician to determine your treatment fitness.

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Why Choose Renew Spine & Rehab in Katy, TX?

Our resident chiropractor, Dr. Zach Benson, and the staff believe in patient-centered care. To ensure holistic rehabilitation, we incorporate more than dry needling sessions into your care plan.

Experienced Professionals

Dr. Benson and the team are trained to make your dry needling sessions safe while addressing your body’s needs.

Patient-Centered Philosophy

If your body needs more than dry needling to recover, we suggest other treatment modalities to include in your care plan.

Advanced Therapies, Modern Techniques

We stay updated with modern needling methods and practices and apply them if we think they are beneficial for your treatment.

Trusted by the Katy Community

Our loyal and new patients continue to refer us to their friends and loved ones as a reliable physical rehab clinic.

Meet Your Chiropractor

Dr. Zach Benson

Chiropractor

Dr. Zach Benson is a skilled chiropractor who provides chiropractic care to individuals with various musculoskeletal disorders.

He has been practicing since 2017 and has a special interest in sports chiropractic and working with patients who want to improve their daily lives and get out of pain.

Dr. Benson grew up in Bay City, TX. He began his college baseball career at San Jacinto College and made it to the JUCO World Series both years.

He then transferred to Stephen F. Austin State University, where he finished out his baseball career and received his BS in Kinesiology. After graduating, Dr. Benson attended Texas Chiropractic College in Pasadena, TX, where he earned his Doctor of Chiropractic.

Dr. Benson was fortunate enough to be brought up in a family full of chiropractors. Both father and uncle have been successful chiropractors for over 30 years, a cousin has been in practice since 2003, and a younger brother is currently practicing in San Marcos, TX.

Dr. Benson married his college sweetheart, Lauren, and now resides in Houston, TX, along with their baby boy, Sutton, and their two dogs, Jimmy and Emma.

Frequently Asked Questions

Dry needling is the practice of inserting a thread-like needle into the affected muscle area to relieve pain and improve muscle condition.

They are different. Dry needling targets muscle and tendon trigger points to relieve pain and improve muscle movement. On the other hand, acupuncture targets areas in the body that rebalance energy and enable natural healing.

The practice typically treats tension and pain in different areas of the body, such as the lower back, neck, shoulder, hip, and spine.

You may feel a slight prick whenever a filament needle penetrates your skin. This is expected.

It depends on the degree and scope of your condition. You should consult with a professional so they can give you an accurate answer.

Dr. Donald Thingpen

Chiropractor

Dr. Donald Thigpen is licensed Doctor of Chiropractic with 20+ years of experience. He specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of conditions related to the spine, joints, and musculoskeletal system. Dr. Thigpen is also certified practitioner in dry needling through the American Academy of Manipulative Therapy, certified Decompression Therapy Practitioner through the Kennedy Decompression Institute, certified practitioner in Whiplash Injury Biomechanics & Traumatology through the Spine Research Institute of San Diego, certified practitioner in Webster Technique through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, and certified practitioner in manual therapy.

Dr. Thigpen received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Texas Chiropractic College and was valedictorian of his graduating class. While at Texas Chiropractic College, he received an extensive education in human anatomy, physiology, pathology, and other clinical and biological sciences. From 2001 to 2003, under the direction of Dr. Bill McGimsey, Ph.D., Dr. Thigpen was appointed to the position of gross anatomy lab instructor and performed dissections on over 150 human cadavers. From 2002 to 2003, under the direction of Dr. Hasnaa Shafik, M.D., Ph.D, Dr. Thigpen was appointed to the position of histopathology lab instructor where he assisted doctoral students in the microscopic identification of human tissues and diseases.

Dr. Thigpen's experience includes a chiropractic internship along with medical rotations in neurosurgery and rheumatology. His rotation in neurosurgery was conducted under the supervision of Dr. Edward Murphy, M.D., at St. Joseph's Hospital in Houston, Texas. During his rotation in neurosurgery, Dr. Thigpen assisted Dr. Murphy with neurological examinations, observed and assisted in surgery, and received extensive instruction on neurological conditions, brain MRIs, and spine MRIs. His rotation in rheumatology was conducted under the supervision of Dr. Martin Lidsky, M.D., at the Veteran's Affair's Medical Center in Houston, Texas. Under the instruction of Dr. Lidsky, Dr. Thigpen gained valuable knowledge and experience on the proper evaluation and diagnosis of many arthritic and rheumatic conditions.

Prior to attending Texas Chiropractic College in Houston, Texas, Dr. Thigpen completed his undergraduate studies at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana. In May of 2000, he graduated cum laude and received a bachelor of science degree in biology. While at MSU, he was selected to participate in a senior honors thesis research project, which he completed under the direction of Dr. Ray Neyland, Ph.D.

From 2004 to 2008, in addition to a full time practice as a Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Thigpen was an instructor at the Louisiana Institute of Massage Therapy where he taught human anatomy, physiology, and pathology. Dr. Thigpen is also an Elsevier text book reviewer and has been recognized in three text books for his contributions. You can find him listed as a contributing editor and reviewer in Mosby's Pathology for Massage Therapists 2nd Edition, Massage Therapy Principles and Practice 3rd Edition, and Massage Therapy Principles and Practice 4th Edition.

Dr. Thigpen is a member of the Texas Chiropractic Association, American Chiropractic Association, and the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association.

Russell Corcoran

When I went to Dr. Thigpen, I had been in pain for months. I was thinking that at my age, maybe pain was just part of life. However, Dr. Thigpen had me pain-free within three weeks. He is amazing and the staff is great. Highly recommend

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Dry Needling in Katy

What Is Dry Needling?