Dry needling
Dry needling, where state law allows
A physical therapy technique that uses a thin, solid needle in a tight muscle, offered here where state law allows.
Dry needling is one tool in a physical therapy plan, not a plan of its own. Lien uses it where South Dakota law allows a physical therapist with the training to do so, and only after an exam, an explanation of the risks and your yes. Many people never need it.
Is this for you
This care is for you if…
A tight spot has not let go
Hands-on work and movement have helped, and one muscle in the shoulder, upper back or forearm is still stuck.
You want to understand it first
You would like to hear what it is, what it feels like and what can go wrong before you decide.
You are comfortable with needles
Some people are not, and that is fine. Nothing else about your care changes if you say no.
Your plan and your doctor are not against it
Tell Lien about any medicine that thins your blood and any condition that affects bleeding or healing.
A visit
What a visit looks like
- 01
Step 1: Explained first
Lien shows you the needle and tells you where she plans to use it, what you may feel and what the risks are.
- 02
Step 2: Your yes, in writing
You sign a consent before the first time, and you can stop at any point.
- 03
Step 3: Then movement
After the needling, you work the muscle through its range, and Lien tells you what soreness to expect.
Our part
What we do
A thin, solid needle
A new, sterile needle for each visit, thrown away after. It is not used on the face, jaw or neck.
Single use
Shoulder, upper back, forearm and leg
Part of a plan
Used alongside manual therapy and movement, not in place of them.
Never the first step
Never the only step
What you may feel
A brief ache or twitch while it is in, then soreness for a day or so. Bruising is common.
Soreness for a day or so
Rare serious risks, explained first
The practical part
Visits, who treats you, and paying
What decides how many visits
It depends on what we find and how the muscle responds. Lien tells you at each visit whether it is helping and whether to keep going. We do not promise a number of visits.
Who treats you
Lien Doan, a physical therapist licensed in South Dakota, treats every visit herself. She does not hand you to an assistant.
About LienHow it is paid for
We bill many kinds of plans, or you can pay on the day. You get a written estimate before your first visit if you pay without insurance.
How fees work
When to see a doctor first
Call 911 for chest pain, trouble breathing, a sudden severe headache or pain, or new weakness or numbness. Tell Lien before your visit if you take a blood thinner, have a bleeding disorder or a pacemaker, or are pregnant. She will tell you if you should see your doctor before you start.
- Chest pain, trouble breathing, a sudden severe headache or pain, new weakness or numbness, loss of bladder or bowel control, or a fall with a head injury needs emergency care now. Call 911.
Questions about this care
Is dry needling allowed in South Dakota?
State rules decide who may use it and what training is required. Lien goes through the current rule and her own training with you before she uses it.
What training does Lien have?
Cert. DN, a dry needling course credential. It is training from a course provider, and not a state license.
Will my plan pay for it?
Some plans do and some do not. We check before it becomes part of your care and tell you what we find.
Ready to book a first visit?
Choose a time online, or call and talk to Sherry first.