Dates & Location

Next Course: Dubai | Jan 24, 2025

Course Overview

14th Pan Arab Spine Congress - Dry Needling Workshop

Introduction to Dry Needling - Jan Dommerholt, PT, DPT

Earn 7 CME credits (approved by DOH/DHA/MOH).

Dry needling is commonly used for the treatment of patients with low back (Álvarez et al., 2022), neck pain (Cerezo-Tellez et al., 2016; Perreault et al., 2022), headaches (Pourahmadi et al., 2021), shoulder dysfunction (Bron et al., 2011), knee pain (Rahou-El-Bachiri et al., 2020) and other neuromusculoskeletal conditions (Sánchez-Infante et al., 2021). Dry needling commonly targets trigger points combined with other therapeutic interventions, such as pain science education (Dommerholt, 2020).

The use of DN for treating mobility deficits and persistent pain from integumentary impairments, such as scar tissue, is a relatively new application. Scar tissue formation following trauma or surgery can present complex complications for the restoration of function and reduction of movement impairments. Painful and restricted scar tissue represents persistent fascial adhesions, a dysregulation of extracellular matrix proteins and fibroblasts, leading to a persistent barrage of nociceptive input. Dry needling may be a viable option to improve the mobility and function and decrease associated pain of scar tissue (Bahramian et al., 2022; Huang et al., 2020; Kharaji et al., 2022; Rozenfeld et al., 2020).

In neurology, DN is an emerging therapeutic option to reduce spasticity following stroke (Babaza-deh-Zavieh et al., 2022; Ghannadi et al., 2020; Mohammadpour et al., 2021; Tavakol et al., 2021), multiple sclerosis (Khalifeloo et al., 2022), cerebral palsy (Okonski & Dommerholt, 2022), and in athletics and sports, DN is being used to facilitate recovery after athletic performance and fatigue (Ershad et al., 2019) and improve flexibility (Ansari et al., 2020).

The objective of this educational session is to provide an evidence-informed overview of the possible mechanisms and applications of dry needling relevant for physicians, surgeons, physiotherapists, and other healthcare providers.

Course Instructor

Jan Dommerholt

PT, DPT - President/CEO

Dr. Jan Dommerholt is co-founder and president/CEO of Myopain Seminars. His early career mentors included Drs. Janet Travell, David Simons, Robert Gerwin, Richard S. Materson, Karel Lewit, and Peter Baldry, among others. Together with Robert Gerwin, Jan started teaching dry needling courses in 1996, first in Spain and, from 1997 onwards, also in the USA and countless other countries.

Dr. Dommerholt is a recognized expert in the physical therapy diagnosis and treatment of persons with myofascial pain syndrome, chronic pain syndromes, and whiplash-associated disorders.

He has published several books, over 140 articles, and nearly 80 chapters in medical and physical therapy textbooks on myofascial pain, chronic pain conditions, fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome, and whiplash. Dr. Dommerholt had prepared a quarterly literature review column on myofascial pain syndrome for the Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain for 17 years, and later for the Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies.