Dry Needling

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Pain and muscle spasm getting the better of you, want to feel better but still do the things you have to?

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The practice of ‘dry needling’ involves inserting an acupuncture needle into a trigger point and is typically used to treat the pain associated with injuries. Dry needling is a very safe and relaxing process. There is no sharp or excessive pain, maybe a slight ache and indeed many clients do not feel the needles being inserted at all.

 

Dry needling seeks to relieve the pain caused by musculoskeletal dysfunction through relaxing muscle trigger points — these are taut bands that develop within a muscle that can occur in cases of both acute and chronic pain. Trigger points may develop in a muscle as a result of stresses such as poor posture, repetitive actions, or emotional trauma, and can refer pain and create dysfunction in other parts of the body, including severe headaches.

What type of problems can be treated with dry needling?

There is a wide range of acute and chronic orthopedic and musculoskeletal conditions that can be treated through the use of dry needling, often in conjunction with other physiotherapy techniques. Some conditions may include but not limited to neck, back and shoulder pain, arm pain (tennis elbow, carpal tunnel, golfer’s elbow), headache to include migraines and tension-type headaches, jaw pain, buttock pain and leg pain (sciatica, hamstring strains, calf tightness/spasms, shin splints) and sporting injuries.

 

Is the procedure painful?

Most patients do not feel the insertion of the needle. The local twitch response elicits a very brief (less than a second) painful response. Some patients describe this as a little electrical shock; others feel it more like a cramping sensation. Again, the therapeutic response occurs with the elicitation of local twitch responses and that is a good and desirable reaction.

 

Prior to the treatment

A thorough medical assessment is carried out to rule out sinister pathology. A diagnosis/ hypothesis is established in regard to the type of pain mechanism involved and related musculoskeletal dysfunctions. This assessment will identify who cannot undertake dry needling e.g.  cardiac pacemakers, heart valve replacement or first trimester of pregnancy.

 

What side effects can I expect after the treatment?

Mild soreness is common after the procedure. Clients may feel a little tired, as after a rigorous exercise session, but there are no lingering effects and most people are able to continue with their day (including playing sports) as normal. Adverse reactions are very rare.

 

Are the needles sterile?

We only use high quality sterile disposable needles, used once, that have TGA approval.

 

How long does it take for the procedure to work?

Many clients respond positively to dry needling almost at once, finding that the problem muscles are less taut and contracted, and that they can move with more freedom. We are trying to cause mechanical and biochemical changes, looking for a cumulative response to achieve a certain threshold after which the pain cycle is disturbed. Several sessions of dry needling will be required for a lasting benefit to be felt and for the muscle fully to resume functioning normally again.

 

Once I am feeling better, how often do I need to come back to maintain my progress?

Most of the time once the dysfunction or imbalance has been corrected the body will often maintain the appropriate balance. However, the musculoskeletal system is under constant stress from the demands of varying postures, gravity, psychological and emotional states etc. A regular exercise program combined with good posture can prevent many problems. If the pain comes back, occasional sessions are recommended to treat and prevent serious injuries.

 

Why is dry needling concept different?

• To understand the dry needling concept one has to look at the mechanisms involved in pain.

• Musculoskeletal pain is often associated with an area of exquisite tenderness (hyperalgesia) at a trigger point site. This site is tender due to sensitized nerve ending.

• The trigger point site is often accompanied by muscle shortening.

• A shortened muscle can become painful, not work properly, pull on the tendon e.g. tennis elbow.

• A muscle with trigger points is much weaker due to a pain. This causes muscle imbalance and secondary biomechanical problems.

• Trigger points can refer pain by themselves, but also irritate nerves and cause further pain in a remote area.

• These trigger points can be found in muscle, fascia, ligaments, tendons and bone.

 

Following the treatment:

• The muscle tension is reset.

• The trigger point is desensitized by the body’s own neuro-transmitting chemicals (opiods, enkephalins, serotonin, Beta endorphins, etc).

• Neurochemicals, such as Endorphins and Corticosteroids, are released; the immune system brings white blood cells to the injured area, and red blood cells carrying oxygen and nutrients run to the site (inflammatory response).

 

Where does dry needling fit in the entire rehabilitation program?

Dry needling is the modality of choice when it comes to treating acute injuries, muscle spasms or muscle pattern imbalances. It is very common to initiate dry needling at the beginning of your treatment program to break the pain cycle. Once that is achieved, other treatment options are introduced such as Clinical Pilates, rehabilitation etc.

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