Dry Needling
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Dry needling is used in conjunction with Physiotherapy treatments to help alleviate pain and spasm in muscles, trigger point therapy as well as reduce swelling and promote healing. Our Physio's use the finest quality Sensei Japanese acupuncture needles. |
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• How does it work?
• What Conditions is it used for?
What is involved in Dry Needling?
Dry needling is the medical practice of stimulating specific reactions in the target tissue for its therapeutic effect. This form of therapy is achieved by utilizing a solid, filament needle. This differs from the traditional eastern practise of acupuncture as dry needling involves insertion of needles into myofascial trigger points to deactivate and help resolve trigger points (acupuncture involves insertion in needles into specific energy meridians in order to achieve a desired result). A trigger point usually consists of a small band of muscle which feels knotty. It is sometimes painful when touched, but the pain is often referred to another area of the body.
How does it work?
Dry needling increases opoid levels, therefore decreases pain. It helps reduce localised swelling, improves natural anti-inflammatory response and tissue re-modelling, as well as improves the alignment of connective tissue and scar tissue breakdown. With trigger points, needling into the trigger point will reduce the spasm and relieve not only the local pain but also the referred pain. Dry needling improves circulation which is beneficial to an injured area that has compromised blood flow. Careful and specific placement of the needles in the body will relieve the pressure often at times on a nerve. By relieving that pressure it allows the blood to flow into an injured area. In the hands of a skilled practitioner, acupuncture or dry needling can offer great results and if practiced well there is also a remarkable absence of the “post treatment tissue soreness” often experienced by the subject following other manual therapy interventions.
