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Dry Needling

What is dry needling?

Dry Needling (or Acupuncture) is an ancient and effective treatment technique used for a variety of conditions relating to muscle pain, dysfunction and trigger points.

Dry Needling involves inserting a very fine needle into a muscle. Once the needle is in position it is left in the muscle for a short period of time (normally anywhere from 5 seconds to 15 minutes) before it is removed. Your therapist may choose to adjust or ‘twirl’ the needle while it is in place to maximise the effects. Sometimes your therapist will insert just one needle or they may insert several, depending on the area being treated and the desired effect.

Myofascial Trigger Points (MTPs), more commonly known as ‘knots’ in a muscle, are a common cause of pain and disability in the neck, shoulders and lower back. But they occur naturally in all muscles. When a muscle is put under stress, either due to poor posture or from excessive workload, these trigger points become exacerbated and increase in tension. What this means is that the muscle fails to relax adequately and remains active. This overall increase in muscle activation depletes the muscles energy, which can lead to further muscle tension as muscles require energy to relax.

Dry Needling helps by breaking this cycle of muscle tension, fatigue and aching. Inserting a needle into these MTPs elicits a twitch in the muscle which helps to release the bonds between muscle fibres, allowing the muscle to relax. Dry Needling also causes stimulation of nerves which transmit pain. This activates cells in the brain and spinal cord to suppress pain signals. As well as breaking down trigger points and suppressing pain signals, Dry Needling also triggers an increase of blood flow to the area being treated. Adequate blood flow is essential in the healing of body tissues because it supplies nutrients and blood cells to allow healing to take place, and it removes debris and dead cells caused by the initial injury.

Is Acupuncture safe? Yes. Dry Needling is an EXTREMELY safe form of treatment. Side effects include:

  • Bruising: May occur in 3% of treatments
  • Infection: very rare; occurs in 0.014% of treatments
  • Fatigue: prevalence not known (but in our experience is uncommon)
  • Fainting: very rare, but can occur particularly in patients who have never had the treatment before or who are afraid of needles in general.

All our therapists are trained in the proper use of Dry Needling and we use sterile, single-use needles only to avoid side-effects.

At Enhance Physiotherapy we use Dry Needling on a regular basis, but often in conjunction with other therapies or treatments to form a holistic treatment approach. Dry Needling is a fantastic tool to have at our disposal. For those clients who feel anxious or uncomfortable about the use of needles in their treatment we will always be able to provide different forms of therapy to effectively manage your injury/condition.

If you would like to give Dry Needling a try or have any questions, ask your Enhance Physiotherapist expert or book an appointment today.

Dry Needling

What is Dry Needling?

Dry needling is a treatment technique in which a sterile, single-use, fine filament needle is inserted into myofascial trigger points (knots in a muscle), tendons, ligaments or near nerves in order to stimulate a healing response.

Dry needling is a modern, science-based intervention that has been known to aid in the healing and treatment of neck pain, shoulder impingement, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, headaches, back pain, knee pain, plantar fasciitis and many others. Dry needling is not acupuncture of Oriental Medicine.

What Are The Benefits of Dry Needling?

Dry needling may provide relief for some muscular pain and stiffness. Dry needling eases trigger points by stimulating blood flow and circulation and improving oxygen to muscles. By easing trigger points, dry needling may improve flexibility and increase range of motion.

What Will I Feel?

During dry needling you may feel a slight sting as the needle is inserted and removed; however, this discomfort shouldn’t last more than a couple of seconds.

Sometimes during the treatment, you may experience muscle twitches as the needle is inserted into a myofascial trigger point.

Will I Have Any Side Effects?

Every form of treatment can carry associated risk. Before undergoing dry needling, your Enhance physiotherapist may ask you a few questions regarding your health and any relevant medical history to ensure you are suitable.

The most common side effects that may occur are;

  • Small bruising
  • Spot bleeding
  • Temporary soreness

Can I Exercise After Dry Needling?

It is recommended to avoid strenuous or high impact activities immediately after dry needling. This is to allow the body time to recover and to maximise the benefits of the treatment. It is advised to continue your normal daily routine or activity.

Our Enhance Physiotherapists may use dry needling as part of your treatment plan to assist in reducing or managing your pain and healing

Book your Enhance experience today online or call us on 9583 5165