Dry Needling
Dry needling is a safe and effective treatment used to treat musculoskeletal issues
What is Dry Needling?
The term itself describes a solid, dry filament acupuncture needle being directly inserted into a trigger point within the muscle tissue itself. Myofascial trigger points are tender spots in a tight, taut band of muscle, which often causes pain and discomfort when squeezed or pressed. These points arise as a result of musculoskeletal stress or neuropathic dysfunction and can produce and maintain the pain cycle.
How does Dry Needling Work?
There are various theories explaining the mechanisms of Dry Needling, encompassing both biochemical and mechanical effects.
Inserting needles into hyper-sensitive myofascial trigger points can elicit a local twitch response. This sets off a series of reactions that trigger a therapeutic effect by stimulating the inflammatory response and deactivating these points of tension.
Consequently, this reduces muscle shortening and tightness, alleviates pressure on the nerve, modifies the pain response, releases muscular tension, and interrupts the pain cycle.
What Can I Expect During a Dry Needling Appointment?
As with all treatments performed on patients, our Chiropractors will assess each person on a case-by-case basis to determine whether dry needling is a suitable treatment option.
Upon first insertion of the dry needle you might feel a pin-prick or something similar to a pinch, but if the muscle being needled is shortened, contains active trigger points or is sensitive, you may feel a “ muscle cramp” sensation or vibration, which is also known as “ the twitch response.” Following this, you may feel a dull ache in the region being needled.
The depth and length of time the needles remain inserted varies, depending on the injury, location and your level of comfort. You may experience some post-treatment, temporary muscle soreness in the following 24-48 hours, but our Chiropractors will advise you on strategies to minimise this.
FAQs
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When performed by a trained Chiropractor, dry needling is a safe treatment option.
However, everybody responds differently to treatment and as such, there may be side effects of the treatment. Although uncommon, some side effects are:
Nausea
Fainting
Bruising or spotting
Discomfort
Changes to energy levels
Side effects from dry needle therapy should last no longer than 24-48 hours. -
Dry needling is effective in treating a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions including:
Back pain
Neck pain
Tension headaches
Migraines
Muscle tightness
Hamstring injuries
Sports injuries
Temporomandibular joint disorder
Whiplash
Repetitive motion conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome
Joint problems
Some forms of arthritis
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Pain relief
Improved range of motion in muscles and joints
Reduces muscle spasms
Can help with nerve pain
Improves muscle activation
Promotes healing
Relaxes tight muscles
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A common misconception about dry needling is that it is the same as or similar to acupuncture. Whilst both acupuncture and dry needle therapy utilise needles to improve a patient’s wellbeing, they both have different uses.
Acupuncture has its roots in traditional Chinese medicine, with practitioners believing that stimulating acupuncture points can improve the patient’s QI (energy) and allow this QI to flow along the pathways between acupuncture points (known as meridians).
However Dry needle therapy is an evidenced based treatment that focuses on reducing pain and restoring function through releasing myofascial trigger points in the muscle.
Lakelands Chiropractor Near you
Should you have additional questions regarding our chiropractic treatment or any other services we offer, don't hesitate to reach out. We are dedicated to delivering an outstanding level of patient care and assistance.
You can reach us at 0403 258 582 or complete an enquiry form on our contact page. We'll promptly provide you with all the information you need.