The Concise Book of Dry Needling: A Practitioner's Guide to Myofascial Trigger Point Applications

A major development in the safe and effective treatment of myofascial trigger points and myofascial pain, this book is a concise, comprehensive, and well-illustrated reference on dry needling. John Sharkey—an international authority on myofascial trigger points, myofascial pain, myofascial trigger point dry needling, and neuromuscular therapy as well as an accredited clinical anatomist—draws on his thirty years of experience in bodywork and movement therapy to provide accurate and essential criteria for the identification and subsequent treatment of myofascial trigger points through the exclusive use of a fine, filiform needle. The ideal accompaniment to course notes and the perfect tableside reference guide, this book describes the origin, etiology, and pathophysiology of the myofascial trigger point as well as indications and contraindications for myofascial trigger point dry needling. Instructive illustrations support the text, along with standards and guidelines that ensure safe, effective, and appropriate application.

Physical therapists including osteopaths, chiropractors, neuromuscular therapists, soft tissue therapists, physiotherapists, and sports massage therapists will find this guide indispensible. Because Sharkey explains why so many people have unresolved chronic pain and provides clear explanations of how pain is propagated, the book is also an invaluable source of information for patients with chronic pain and their care providers.

JOHN SHARKEY is a clinical anatomist and exercise physiologist of more than thirty years. He is director of Ireland's National Training Center, and the Irish College of Osteopathic Medicine. John is a member of the editorial team for the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, a reviewer for the International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine and the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. An accepted and recognized authority and researcher in clinical anatomy, human movement, and manual medicine, Sharkey is a popular international presenter and keynote speaker.