Does Dry Needling Really Relieve Pain? The Truth from The New York Times

The New York Times published an article on April 20, 2026, examining whether dry needling truly relieves pain, drawing on patient experiences and clinical perspectives to assess its growing use in orthopedic and sports medicine settings.

Dry needling involves inserting thin filiform needles into trigger points in muscles, tendons, or connective tissue with the goal of reducing pain and improving function. Unlike acupuncture, We see based on Western anatomical and neurophysiological principles rather than traditional Chinese medicine concepts.

The basic idea behind dry needling is to create a tiny injury in a painful part of the body in hopes of increasing blood flow and loosening tight muscles, tendons and other tissue.

Myopain Seminars, citing New York Times reporting

Many patients report an immediate sense of relief after a session, as well as an increase in muscle strength and range of movement.

Jan Dommerholt, physical therapist in Maryland

I saw the muscles on my arm dancing while it was being done… The next day all the pain went away.

Caroline Miller, 64-year-old competitive swimmer from Maryland

I had dry needling for tail bone pain, with the needles in my lowest spine. I have not had pain there for more than a year after about 6 dry needling sessions, plus physical manipulation akin to massage.

Anonymous patient comment in New York Times article

Dry needling, along with more PT, fixed my years-long piriformis problem.

Anonymous patient comment in New York Times article

Dry needling has become a standard part of orthopedic care, with superstar athletes like Travis Kelce and Caitlin Clark using the treatment for recovery and maintenance.

Andrea Javor, New York Times reporter

Jan Dommerholt, who runs a certification program for dry needling in Maryland, noted that he has trained physical therapists for professional organizations including the Women’s Tennis Association, the Association of Tennis Professionals, and the Detroit Lions. He has also co-authored research on the topic, including a study on the effect of dry needling on quadriceps muscle fatigue in taekwondo players.

The New York Times article acknowledged that while many patients describe near-instant relief or a sensation of release during treatment, others view dry needling as at best a temporary fix. The reporter, Andrea Javor, confirmed that despite efforts to correct inaccuracies, the published piece contained some unavoidable errors, though the core observations about patient-reported outcomes and clinical adoption remained consistent with broader trends in sports medicine.

Fans of the procedure say it can offer near instant relief, describing a melting of pain or a feeling of release at the needling site. Others say at best it’s a temporary fix.

The New York Times, April 20, 2026

As of April 2026, dry needling is widely integrated into rehabilitation protocols across professional and collegiate athletics in the United States, though individual responses vary and long-term efficacy data remain limited in peer-reviewed literature. Clinicians emphasize that dry needling is typically used as part of a broader treatment plan that may include exercise, manual therapy, and patient education rather than as a standalone intervention.