WHAT IS DRY NEEDLING?
Dry needling treatment a.k.a. intramuscular stimulation is designed to relieve muscular pain or spasms by inserting monofilament needles (fine, short, sterile, stainless steel needles that don’t inject fluid) directly into muscle trigger points to stimulate healing. These points are usually deep muscle fibres that are “knotted” or “stuck” and cannot be released through manual therapy or movement.
Dry needling has been found to significantly decrease musculoskeletal pains and improve muscle function by the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy.
HOW DOES IT HELP?
Dry needling is often integrated with chiropractic and physiotherapy modalities for quicker and more effective healing. Depending on the points and techniques employed, dry needling aims to promote:
- relaxation of muscle spasm and myofascia trigger points to improve range of motion
- pain relief
- reduction in inflammation
- improvement in healing response
Dry needling can be very beneficial for those with:
- muscle injury or chronic pain
- repetitive motion disorders (carpal tunnel syndrome, golfer’s or tennis elbow)
- tendonitis and plantar fasciitis
- sciatica
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT?
You would probably not feel anything when the needle is inserted but when the needle hits a trigger point, you will feel a twitch as the “knots” are “untangled”, providing immediate relief as the muscle releases.
Patients usually experience muscle soreness a few hours after the treatment as part of the recovery that can last up to 48 hours. For certain patients, there may also be bruising or minor bleeding at the needling side and some may even experience temporary increase in pain before seeing improvement in pain intensities.
Before any treatment is provided, a thorough consultation and physical assessment will be performed to ensure that your condition is suited for dry needling treatment.