Dry needling is a therapy that has developed from Acupuncture and involves the insertion of a very fine needle into the skin and muscle. There are many different techniques which may involve activating trigger points in muscle, mobilising fascia or reducing tension in structures. Dry needling may sound painful, but it is often painless and can only be performed by a specialist trained clinician. Depending on the application of the needle and structure affected, dry needling can be extremely effective in reducing pain, restoring movement, increasing bloodflow and restoring function.
It is important to differentiate between dry needling and acupuncture. Acupuncture is traditional Eastern medicine which uses the same tools as dry needling. Dry needling is a Western medicine therapy and has been developed to treat movement impairments, posture, and function. We use recognised orthoapedic tests and outcome measures to assess the benefit of the treatment. Dry needling is rarely used as a stand alone treatment and forms part of the clinical management of your condition.
