Trigger point dry needling (TDN) is a specific treatment technique that uses a solid filament needle to treat muscle trigger points (MTrP).  A  MTrP is a highly localized, hyper-irritable spot in a palpable, taught band of skeletal muscle fibers.  These muscle trigger points play a role in producing and maintaining the pain cycle.  They can alter muscle performance, as well as generate pain along common referral patterns.  These MTrPs develop in muscle for various reasons including referred or local pain, inflammation, athletic injury or other causes.