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Published on May 16, 2019

Dry needling therapy, used to combat pain, expands across Tidelands region

Tidelands Health is making it easier than ever for people struggling with pain to benefit from dry needling therapy.

The health system has expanded the availability of dry needling from two to eight locations throughout the region in response to growing demand.

In dry needling, a “dry” needle (without medication) is inserted through the skin and into the tight areas and knots of a muscle, called trigger points. Insertion of the needle can reduce or eliminate pain by causing the muscle to relax and stimulating the body’s normal healing response.Dry needling therapy

“More and more people are learning about the benefits of dry needling and the tremendous impact it can have on pain,” said Anita Giardino, outpatient program director for Tidelands Health Rehabilitation Services, the region’s most extensive network of rehabilitative care. “By expanding to more locations, we can help meet the growing demand and make it easier than ever for our patients to receive the therapy.”

Dry needling treatment can benefit patients with a wide variety of conditions including repetitive stress injuries, muscle tendonitis, neck pain, headaches, rotator cuff impingement, frozen shoulder, carpal tunnel syndrome, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, sciatica, muscle strains, iliotibial band syndrome, patella-femoral dysfunction and plantar fasciitis.

Although sometimes mistaken as a form of acupuncture, the only similarity between the two treatments is the type of needles used.

Acupuncture is based on ancient Chinese holistic medicine. Dry needling is focused specifically on addressing muscle-related pain.

The therapy is now offered at Tidelands Health Rehabilitation Services locations at North Myrtle Beach, Carolina Forest, Conway, Murrells Inlet, Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Island, Georgetown and Andrews.

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Tidelands Health, in collaboration with MUSC Health, is the region’s largest health care provider, serving the Carolinas at four hospitals and more than 70 outpatient locations. More than 2,500 employee, physician and volunteer partners work side by side with our communities to transform the health of our region – promoting wellness, preventing illness, encouraging recovery and restoring health.