Your Top 5 Questions About Dry Needling Answered

1. What is Dry Needling? 

Dry needling is a popular method of easing muscle pain. While somewhat related to acupuncture, dry needling is very different in practice, specifically targeting sore and tired muscles for the relief of pain, and to stimulate healing soft tissue injuries.

2. How Does Dry Needling Work?

Practitioners will insert a very fine needle into ‘trigger points’ on the muscle. These areas are points of knotted or hard muscles that are causing pain. This creates a minuscule lesion in the muscle tissue when it enters the body. 

The micro simulation of the pain receptors increases blood flow, subsequently altering the chemical balance in the muscle. This assists with muscle healing and relaxation. This is because a signal is sent to the brain to restore muscle function by improving and healing the muscle tissue. 

3. Is Dry Needling Safe?

Modern dry needling is based on current medical science and research, with a growing body of scientific evidence supporting the practice. All needles are sterile and disposed of carefully in a medical sharps container. Further, all our physiotherapists at City Physio have completed post-graduate training in advanced neuromuscular trigger point dry needling treatment. Our physiotherapy clinic is also a primary world-class education facility for the teaching of dry needling in Adelaide. 

It is therefore completely safe. 

4. Why Should I Get Dry Needling?

Dry needling provides pain relief for muscular aches, pains, and stiffness. It is usually more effective than a remedial massage because it provides more release, with less surrounding tissue damage or soreness. It can also be used to improve flexibility and range of motion to help perform everyday tasks.  

Common injuries treated with dry needling:

• Sports injuries
• Headaches & migraine
• Tennis elbow
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Achilles tendonitis
• TMJ pain
• Muscle tears, strains or tightness
• Bursitis
• Plantar fasciitis
• Arthritis
• Hip & knee pain

You may experience temporary increased pain a day or two after a session – this is a good thing. The technique increases blood flow to the area and stimulates the muscles in a new way. Any delayed onset soreness is a physical response to the inflammation as your body heals. 

5. Why City Physiotherapy?

Our knowledge and ongoing education in clinical dry needling is of the highest standard, meeting AHPRA requirements. The effects of dry needling are often best felt when coupled with other remedial treatments such as stretching, massaging, and physio-recommended exercises. Our trained physiotherapists can determine the appropriate treatment plan for you. 

Contact us today for a same-day appointment with one of our highly experienced and qualified physiotherapists. 

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