Certified Dry Needling in Frederick & Hagerstown, MD | Vital Alignment Chiropractic
A thin filament needle into a trigger point — and the knot that's been locking up your shoulder for months finally lets go.
What it is
Dry needling uses a very fine, sterile filament needle — no medication, nothing injected, which is where the "dry" comes from — placed directly into a taut band of muscle. The target is a specific myofascial trigger point: the knot that's tender to press and often refers pain somewhere else entirely.
When the needle reaches the trigger point you may feel a brief twitch response. That involuntary twitch is rather the point — it's the muscle letting go. Most people describe a deep ache during, then a marked loosening afterward. Some soreness for a day or so is normal, much like after a hard workout.
It's a modern, evidence-informed technique grounded in anatomy rather than meridians — it isn't acupuncture, though the needles look similar. Dr. Wroblewski is certified in dry needling and uses it alongside adjustments and soft-tissue work, particularly for muscles that keep tightening back up between visits.