Dry needling: what is it, how does it work, what can it help?

Dry needling is a safe and easy way to ease sore spots in muscles. A thin needle is inserted into the muscle and used to stimulate a pathway response to the brain to reduce an area of soreness. The theory of dry needling is quite complex, however it is known to positively influence the electrical and chemical responses of our nervous system.

Needling can be safely applied to most muscles of the body, including the deeper muscles, which are sometimes hard to stretch or don’t benefit from massage or foam rolling. Dry needling insertion is usually pain free but sometimes the local twitch response of the muscle may be sore or unexpected for a brief period of time.

It can help with a number of different conditions. It can be used for headache symptoms, muscle strains as well as tendon-based problems. Depending on the severity or intensity of symptoms may depend on how many needles are used and for how long.

People sometimes compare dry needling to acupuncture and vice versa. However, these are two separate treatment techniques.

Below is a video by David, one of our Physiotherapists talking about the difference between dry needling and acupuncture.

Dry needling is used by the majority of our Physios at MyPhysioSA and after filling out a consent form, it can be done during a standard consultation. It can also be combined with other treatment techniques (such as massage) in the session so that you have the best possible opportunity to achieve great results in a shorter period of time. If you are someone who feels as though they would benefit from dry needling or would like some more information about the treatment technique then perhaps booking in to see one of our Physios would be best for further advice and management. We are more than happy to help in any way we can.