FAQ

A: The easiest way to describe the difference is that traditional acupuncture is rooted in Eastern Medicine, and dry needling is rooted in Western Medicine.   There is definitely overlap between the two. The main differences are outlined nicely in an article by Zhou et al.

To summarize, acupuncturists use ah shi points and meridian lines to determine needle placement, whereas dry needlers use orthopedic evaluation and clinical experience and knowledge of western medicine and injuries to determine needle placement. Both have shown to be effective and have their place within the medical community.

Stecco Method of Fascial Manipulation was developed in Italy by Luigi Stecco, a physical therapist. He was frustrated with:

• The time it took for patients to recover from pain and injury.
• The frequent recurrence of the patient’s symptoms after the initial recovery.
• Pain which was not relieved with other treatment methods.

Conditions not responding to standard medical, chiropractic and physical therapy treatment are all candidates for the Stecco Method of Fascial Manipulation.

• The Stecco Method of Fascial Manipulation differs significantly from other similarly sounding techniques IE: myofascial release, trigger point therapy, fascial massage, fascial release, ART and others. The densities which accumulate in your soft tissues remain until they are remodeled with deep friction on specific involved points. Based on the anatomy and function of soft tissue, and its response to different treatment types, this technique works better than anything we have seen. It is the best technique to target a more thorough and stable recovery, in the fewest number of sessions.

The technique is based on the fascial system of the body. All the soft tissues in the body are wrapped in layers of fascia. These include: muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, and internal organs. Fascia holds everything together and gives us healthy pain free motion as the layers slide over hyaluronan. You can think of this as the ‘grease’ of the body.

Soft tissue becomes dense, stiff and ridged as we age and accumulate damage. Possible sources for this include: past injury, normal use over time, natural aging, over use, under use, dehydration and trauma. This increase in tissue density alters movement and causes pain and other symptoms in the joints and the soft tissues. As the density builds up, normal movement is changed resulting in dysfunctions in your body. These lead to damage in the soft tissues and surrounding nerves, muscles and joints. Chronic pain and surgery result if left untreated.

Stecco Method of Fascial Manipulation is performed to reverse this accumulation of density and damage. This starts with a movement analysis and identification of the primary densities in your soft tissue, which are causing you pain. The doctor then uses deep friction until the density between the layers becomes more fluid, with the heat and mechanical action of the treatment. The patient frequently reports immediate symptom relief and improved range of motion after each session.

This treatment process is interactive.

• Let me know your tolerance to the deep friction treatment.
• After several minutes, the point will become less tender
• Inform me of any pain radiating away from the point being treated.

After treatment:

• Most patients report immediate relief at the end of each session.
• For the next several days, symptoms may change.
• Report these changes to the doctor on the next Fascial Manipulation visit.
• The next visit should take place one to two weeks later. This time allows the body to heal and return to normal motion prior to the next session.
• Several sessions are necessary to progress through the layers of density which have accumulated.
• After each session:

• Avoid ice, heat, and medication for 24 hours if possible. This allows for the best outcome from each session, as the body heals naturally.
• If you experience discomfort after the treatment, manage it with Tylenol.

A: The number of treatments needed is going to vary from individual to individual and the type and severity of injury/condition you come to see me about. However, with that said, I do not advocate a system of seeing people repeatedly with no improvement. My belief is that if you and I AS A TEAM cannot improve your situation significantly between 1-4 treatments, we need to seek other advice. I am fortunate to know and have good working relationships with multiple providers in our community. I work at being able to refer appropriately when needed, so If I cannot improve your injury, I’ll help you find someone who may possess knowledge that can benefit you. I do not offer any magic pills, and fully expect compliance from my clients so that we can improve the root of the problem which gave you symptoms in the first place.

A: Plan for your appointment to last one hour to allow for proper evaluation and re-evaluation time, any treatment modalities agreed upon during your evaluation, and time to thoroughly discuss your situation.

A: The NormaTec PULSE Recovery Systems are dynamic compression devices designed for recovery and rehab. These systems use patented PULSE technology to help athletes recover faster between trainings and after performance. These systems include a control unit and attachments which go on the legs, arms, or hips. They use compressed air to massage your limbs, mobilize fluid, and speed recovery with the patented NormaTec Pulse Massage Pattern. You will first experience a pre-inflate cycle, during which the connected attachments are molded to your exact body shape. The session will then begin by compressing your feet, hands, or upper quad (depending on which attachment you are using). Similar to the kneading done during a massage, each segment of the attachment will first compress in a pulsing manner and then release. This will repeat for each segment of the attachment as the compression pattern works its way up your limb.   Typically lasts between 20-30 minutes.

A: I can accept cash and all major credit cards, including HSA debit cards if you have one of these accounts. I use an encrypted credit card payment system called Clover (www.clover.com).