Dry Needle Therapy in Atlanta

Pain shouldn’t be your everyday. If you struggle with muscle tightness, trigger points, or movement restrictions—especially in the pelvic, hip, low back, or other areas—Dry Needle Therapy in Buckhead, GA at Femina Physical Therapy offers relief, renewed mobility, and healing in a compassionate, expert setting.

At Femina PT, we believe everybody is unique. That’s why our dry needle therapy treatments are personalized to your anatomy, history, goals, and the way you move. Whether you’re recovering from injury, managing chronic pain, or seeking support for pelvic health, we craft a plan to help you feel better, move more easily, and get back to what matters most.

Relief and Recovery Through Dry Needling

Dry needling is now available at Femina Physical Therapy Atlanta – Buckhead. This specialized service is offered exclusively at this location, giving patients in the Atlanta area access to targeted care for pain, tension, and movement restrictions. Our trained therapists use precise techniques to address muscle dysfunction and support long-term relief. If you’re local to Buckhead, Virginia-Highlands and Brookhaven, GA, this is the only FeminaPT clinic where dry needling is currently provided.

What is Dry Needle Therapy?

Dry Needle Therapy (often called “dry needling”) is a skilled physical therapy technique that uses thin, solid filiform needles (no medication or injections) to target myofascial trigger points, muscle tightness, and areas of restricted tissue. The goal is to relieve pain, reduce tension, and improve muscle function. Unlike acupuncture, which is rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, dry needling is based on modern science and anatomy. The technique works by stimulating underlying trigger points and taut muscle bands, which can reset dysfunctional muscle patterns, improve blood flow, and decrease pain signals sent to the nervous system. Many patients experience relief after just a few sessions, with improvements in mobility, strength, and overall comfort.

At Femina Physical Therapy, our dry needling services are:

• Targeted—By reaching specific trigger points and taut muscle bands, dry needling helps release tension, improve circulation, and reset dysfunctional movement patterns. This precise approach addresses the root cause of discomfort and supports lasting relief.
• Restorative—The technique stimulates a healing response that reduces pain signals, normalizes muscle activity, and enhances blood flow. Many patients experience improvements in mobility, strength, and comfort after just a few sessions.
• Evidence-based—Grounded in modern science, dry needling is an effective physical therapy tool for conditions like chronic pain, scar tissue restriction, TMJ dysfunction, pelvic floor tension, and more. Our therapists integrate it as part of a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to your needs.

At Femina PT,  Dry Needle Therapy in Buckhead is used as an important modality within our broader physical therapy framework. It complements manual therapy, pelvic floor therapy, therapeutic exercise, myofascial release, and other evidence-based treatments to optimize results.

The Benefits of Dry Needle Therapy at Femina PT

When you choose Dry Needle Therapy in Buckhead with Femina Physical Therapy, you receive care designed to deliver meaningful results. Here are the key benefits:

1. Targeted Pain Relief
   Trigger points, tender knots, and tight muscles are often substantial contributors to chronic pain. Dry needling helps deactivate these trigger points, reducing pain both at rest and with movement.
   
2. Improved Flexibility, Range of Motion & Reduced Muscle Guarding: Tight muscles or fascia limit your ability to stretch, twist, or stabilize. By releasing muscle tension and calming overactive, “guarding” muscles, dry needling restores flexibility, reduces stiffness, and helps muscles return to healthier resting patterns.
   
3. Enhanced Healing & Recovery
   By improving local circulation and biochemical environment, dry needling can support recovery after injury or surgery. It helps move fluid, reduce inflammation, and facilitate healing of muscles, tendons, and connective tissues.
   
4. Complementary to Other Therapies
   Dry needling works best as part of a plan. At Femina PT we combine it with manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, pelvic floor work (if needed), biofeedback, postural retraining, movement education, etc. This synergy often yields better, longer-lasting outcomes than any single modality.
   
5. Fast Relief & Ongoing Improvement
   Many patients report feeling relief after just one session; for others, incremental improvements build over several treatments. Decreased pain, improved movement, and less tightness are often noticed early, with deeper functional changes over time.
   

Conditions Treated by Dry Needle Therapy

Dry needling is a powerful tool in our portfolio at Femina PT that targets muscular tension, trigger points, and neuromuscular dysfunction. When used in conjunction with manual therapy, pelvic floor physical therapy, and other specialty treatments, it helps restore normal muscle function, decrease pain, and improve mobility. Below are some of the conditions we commonly treat with dry needling:

1. Female Sexual Dysfunction & Chronic Pain Syndromes

Dry needling can be a valuable tool in addressing complex pelvic pain conditions that affect intimacy and quality of life. For individuals with vulvodynia, vestibulodynia, or vulvar vestibulitis, these conditions are often linked to nerve hypersensitivity and pelvic floor muscle guarding. Targeted needling helps relax overactive muscles, ease spasms, and interrupt the pain signals between nerves and muscles. For those experiencing vaginismus (genito-pelvic penetration disorder) or dyspareunia (painful intercourse), dry needling reduces trigger points and muscle tightness, improving flexibility and lowering protective guarding. This approach can support more comfortable penetration, decrease pain during intimacy, and restore confidence in sexual health.

2. Pelvic Floor Dysfunction & Pelvic Pain

Conditions like pudendal neuralgia, levator ani syndrome, pelvic floor hypertonicity, and pain linked to endometriosis often involve tight, painful muscles and nerve irritation. Dry needling helps release tension, reduce myofascial restrictions, and ease secondary pain, supporting greater comfort and participation in movement or exercise therapies.

3. Urinary, Bladder & Pelvic Internal Sensations

Bladder-related conditions such as painful bladder syndrome, interstitial cystitis, urgency, frequency, and urinary incontinence often involve overactive or tight pelvic floor muscles. This muscle tension can place added pressure on the bladder, contributing to discomfort and disruptive symptoms. Dry needling helps by relaxing these muscles, reducing spasm, and improving neuromotor coordination. While not a stand-alone cure, it works best as part of a comprehensive treatment plan to ease symptoms, enhance bladder control, and support overall pelvic health.

4. Post-Surgical, Postpartum & Scar/Tissue Adhesions

Scars from perineal tears, cesarean incisions, or abdominal/pelvic surgeries can create painful adhesions that limit mobility and cause tension. Dry needling helps release these restrictions, improve blood flow, and ease discomfort in affected areas.

For those recovering postpartum, muscle strain in the pelvis, hips, and lower back is common. Targeted needling reduces tightness, restores balance, and supports a smoother return to comfortable movement and daily activities.

5. Orthopedic, Musculoskeletal & Other Related Conditions

Dry needling is also effective for common issues like low back pain, hip dysfunction, TMJ disorders, tendinopathies, and soft tissue strains or sprains. These conditions often involve tight muscles, trigger points, or referred pain that limit daily movement. By releasing muscle tension, easing trigger points, and improving flexibility, dry needling helps reduce pain and supports a smoother return to activity and rehabilitation.

6. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)-Related Pelvic Floor Pain: IBS often comes with abdominal pain, spasms, bloating, and sometimes referred tension into the pelvic floor. Dry needling can help reduce secondary muscular tension caused by bowel symptoms, relax spasm-influenced pelvic floor muscles, and improve comfort during bowel function.

At Femina Physical Therapy, dry needling is tailored to each patient and integrated into a full therapy plan. Our licensed physical therapists assess movement, muscle tone, posture, and pain triggers, delivering safe, effective care with expertise in pelvic health, orthopedics, and chronic pain.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the questions our Atlanta patients often ask about Dry Needle Therapy in Buckhead at Femina Physical Therapy:

1. Is dry needling painful?
   Most patients feel a short, sharp sensation when the needle penetrates, and sometimes a “twitch” or deep ache. Many say discomfort is brief. Afterwards, you may feel soreness or mild ache, similar to after a workout. We use techniques to minimize discomfort, communicate throughout, and adjust based on your comfort.
2. How many sessions will I need?
   It depends on your condition’s severity, how long you’ve had symptoms, and your response. Some people see change in 1–2 sessions; others may need several (often spaced 1-2 times per week initially), followed by tapering. Your therapist will discuss a plan tailored to you.
3. How long is each dry needle therapy session?
   Sessions vary. In Buckhead at Femina PT, dry needling is integrated into your physical therapy session. That may add 10-30 minutes, depending on how many areas are treated. Since our sessions are longer (often 55-120 minutes), there is time for assessment, manual interventions, education, and home exercises too.
4. Are there any risks or side effects?
   Dry needling is generally safe when performed by properly trained physical therapists. Common, minor side effects include temporary soreness, bruising, or mild bleeding at needle sites. Very rare risks include infection (which is minimized with sterile technique) or aggravation of symptoms—but we monitor you carefully and adjust treatment accordingly.
5. Is dry needling safe during pregnancy / postpartum?
   A: Yes, in many cases. We adapt techniques and positioning to accommodate pregnancy or postpartum healing, always with safety top of mind. If there are contraindications (medical issues, high risk pregnancy, skin infection), these are screened first.
6.  How is dry needling different from acupuncture?
   A: Acupuncture is based in traditional Chinese medicine and uses needles in specific energy meridians. Dry needling is based in Western anatomy and physiology, targeting dysfunctional muscles, trigger points, and tight bands. The goals, training, and techniques differ.
7. What should I prepare or expect at my first visit?
   Your first visit includes a thorough evaluation: medical history, movement & orthopedic exam, pelvic floor (if relevant), and muscle & trigger point assessment. Wear comfortable clothing that allows access to the areas that may be treated (shorts, tank top, etc.). Expect some palpation, movement testing, and dialogue about your pain, movement patterns, goals, etc. We’ll explain dry needling and get your consent before performing it.

Discover how Dry Needle Therapy can ease pain and restore balance. Schedule your session today at our Buckhead clinic, and take a gentle step toward lasting relief and improved movement.