Sometimes the simple answer is better. I do not go into homeostasis or anything like that. I tell patients it helps the muscles return to more of a normal muscle tone and that in turn brings increased blood flow and oxygen. That process helping the inflammation to decrease and improving ROM. I keep it there and usually that is more than enough. That is my 2 cent worth 🙂

I think that is fine Rachel- it depends on the depth they really want to go and most patients are happy with what you described. @Susan you can also discuss that needling and needling with ENS has been shown to facilitate the release of descending (and local) endogenous opioids so this is really where a lot of the pain relief comes from. Homeostasis means a lot of things but in the context of IDN neurologic dry needling relates to reducing the sensitizing neurogenic inflammation this reduces the nociception to central processing. By reducing this cycle the patients pain reduces, endogenous muscle guarding (trigger points) relaxes - blood flow and lymphatic flow all improve as a result.

Those are some additional points you can embellish for those that come in with questions after their own google searches 🙂

Very helpful! Thank you both!