Calla Selfridge, a physical therapist at Tidewater Physical Therapy, Inc., Gloucester, is now certified in dry needling, a manual therapy technique that can help many types of pain issues.
Selfridge said the technique uses thin filament needles, which are inserted into trigger points or taut bands within a muscle. “The goal of the technique is to elicit a twitch from the muscle, which happens when you insert into the trigger point,” she said.
The technique can be used to relieve neck, back and shoulder pain, tennis elbow (epicondylitis), chronic pain, Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, plantar fasciitis and similar ailments, she said.
To become certified, Selfridge has taken 100 hours of continuing education classes, and passed a written and practical examination.
“I am a firm believer in the benefit of manual therapy with my physical therapy treatments,” she said. “By receiving my certification, I have another ‘tool in my toolbox’ that I can us...