Have you ever heard of dry needling and are curious as to what it is, how it works, and whether
or not it could be of benefit to you? Well look no further, as in this blog post, we'll break down
the answers to all of these questions in a manner that is easy to digest so that you can make an
informed decision as to whether this treatment is suitable for you.
To begin, dry needling is exactly what it sounds like: a form of treatment that involves the
penetration of thin dry needles into the skin and onto a target tissue. This is done at a trigger
point which is defined as the point of pain or stiffness in the body, and can include muscles and
tendons. The premise of this treatment is to help stimulate a twitch or muscular contraction in
the affected area which can help release built up tension or knots, which subsequently can have
pain relieving effects. Typically, this is a form of therapy that works in conjunction with manual
therapy and exercises prescribed by your physiotherapist, but can also be a stand alone
treatment if deemed otherwise by your healthcare practitioner.
An important thing to note is that dry needling is different from acupuncture which also utilizes
needles on the superficial layer of the skin. The difference comes from the philosophies and
mechanisms behind the practice of each: while dry needling targets areas of difficulty and
stiffness directly with regards to musculature and other major structures, acupuncture has to do
with the balancing of energy through work on acupuncture points. The thought is that we have
an energy flow in the body that can be blocked, and by targeting acupuncture points in the body,
we can help release this blockage and ensure adequate flow which can help with chronic pain,
headaches, anxiety, depression, digestive problems, and more. Not to say that acupuncture
disregards muscular discomfort, rather, the ideology behind what it does and how it does that is
different.
As to who could benefit from this treatment, dry needling is good for all degrees of muscle pain,
those with restricted mobility, athletes and active individuals, and overall anybody who seeks a
minimally invasive treatment to help alleviate stresses on the body from overuse. Please note
though, as with all needle treatments, there are potential side effects which include temporary
soreness, bleeding, and bruising. As such, for those with a blood clotting disorder, on blood
thinning medication, with cancer, and who are pregnant, this treatment may not be suitable for
you as it has the potential to do more harm than good.
In general, dry needling is an effective treatment which when used appropriately can do
wonders for the body. If you are still not sure whether or not this is a treatment you require or
you simply want to know more, please contact us directly at Clover Physiotherapy and we can
discuss a treatment plan or alternatives for you!
