AdvertisementER Reduces Opioid Use By More Than Half With Dry Needles, Laughing GasFebruary 20, 2018Hansi Lo WangfacebookEmailFrancisco Hidalgo prepares to receive a trigger point injection from Dr. Alexis LaPietra (right) at St. Joseph's University Medical Center in Paterson, N.J., while Dr. Tyler Manis observes. An alternative to opioids, the trigger point injection involves dry needling to stop pain from a muscle spasm and a shot of local anesthetic for the soreness from the needle. (NPR)