Chronic pain conditions often involve a complex interplay a peripheral, and central nervous systems. This course provides participants and understanding of the IASP’s classifications of pain (Nociceptive, Nociplastic, and Neuropathic) and provide clinical strategies to examine and treat patients using dry needling based on the primary pain mechanisms.  Neurologic dry needling provides clinicians the knowledge and skills to influence neurogenic inflammation by stimulating neuro-trigger points.  This clinical model can be applied to a wide range of the population from athletes to geriatrics. We provide evidence of how dry needling acts on the peripheral, central, and autonomic nervous systems to desensitize nerve, fibers and activates descending inhibitory pathways to modulate pain perception in the central nervous system. These effects may lead to reduced pain intensity and increase pain threshold providing improved patient function. Participants will also be introduced to important contextual factors, known to moderate treatment effects and alter the patient’s prognosis. The goal of this course is to utilize Neurologic Dry Needling to modulate the nervous system and promote pain relief by reducing neurogenic inflammation of restoring the neural function.

This specialty course is designed for licensed healthcare professionals who treat neuromusculoskeletal conditions in the upper extremity and hand. The participant will learn IDN’s neurologic model of dry needling and how to integrate this physical agent modality into their daily clinical model of treatment.  This lab-based course is focused on using dry needling as a tool to manage pain, restore function and to maximize soft tissue healing and elasticity. IDN’s peripheral nerve mapping model provides the framework for the clinician to address common neuromusculoskeletal conditions encountered in daily practice such as: tendinopathy, epicondylalgia, tenosynovitis, intrinsic and extrinsic tightness, shoulder rotator cuff/impingement syndromes, nerve entrapments, radicular pain, and OA. The course is designed for clinicians with and without prior dry needling training or experience to attend.   The main focus is for the clinician to obtain safe and effective dry needling skills using sound clinical decision-making.