Bringing Dry Needling into My Practice
Picture it. June 29, 2016. Physical therapists in the state of Tennessee could once again begin dry needling. You could feel the excitement in the air! After a two-year battle, myofascial trigger point dry needling was now included in the Tennessee Physical Therapy Practice Act! At that time, I had been practicing physical therapy for nine years and was elated to add dry needling to my toolbox after developing my manual skills. Because of my years of practice, I was looking for a CEU course that would allow me to needle as quickly as possible. I felt that I had extensive knowledge of the body and just needed the training on how to use a needle as another form of instrument-assisted manual therapy. So I found one. I received the training exactly as expected: find the muscle, insert the needle, treat, repeat. After two courses, one in June, the other in July, I began adding dry needling into my practice.
Discovering Myopain Seminars
That same year, another PT joined our team. She had received some of her training from Myopain Seminars in 2014 when dry needling came to a sudden halt in Tennessee. We began discussing dry needling, and she just seemed better educated in the treatment. She finished her training with Myopain Seminars over the next year, and I became very intrigued with the information that she was learning. She had different treatment techniques that I had never learned. She also had a significant amount of information on Myofascial Pain Syndrome and pain science. I wanted this information. I needed this information as an educational tool for my patients.
Dry Needling Courses During the Pandemic
So, at the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021, as the world was continuing to battle a serious pandemic, I took all three dry needling courses from Myopain Seminars. It was worth it to me to come together with fellow physical therapists and learn. It was amazing to gather again, even if we were in masks and sticking with the same partner throughout the courses. Myopain took every precaution to keep us safe and allow us to learn in person again. Between DN1 and DN2, I became pregnant. I was so grateful that Myopain Seminars allowed me to attend and participate, so I didn’t interrupt my learning experience and training momentum. I always felt safe during DN2 and DN3. I participated as a patient for each muscle that I felt comfortable being treated and was never pressured to do anything more.
Myopain Changes the Way We Look at Pain
I learned so much during these courses that I felt my head might explode, but it was so much good information! It has made me a better PT and caused me to look at my patients a little differently. I can educate them and help each person to have a 
greater understanding of their body and their pain. It’s given me patience with some that I might not have had before taking these courses. These courses have changed me, and I can honestly say that I’m a better clinician having taken them. It’s not just about finding the muscle, inserting the needle, treating, and repeating. There is so much more to it, and Myopain Seminars can teach you if you’re willing to take the time and learn.
Melinda Carden, PT, DPT, OCS, CMTPT/DN
