Dry Needling

Dry needling involves the use of acupuncture needles in the treatment of soft tissue (muscle, tendon, ligament and nerve) pain and disfunction.

This treatment method works by aiding the release of endorphins and cortisol to relieve pain and reduce inflammation.  Added to this, needles may be used to target and deactivate trigger points (painful ‘knots’ within muscles that can cause local and referred pain), further decreasing pain. The needles cause micro-trauma in the soft tissue, this causes an increase in blood-flow which promotes healing.

Dry needling differs from traditional Chinese acupuncture in a number of ways. Acupuncture works on the principle of restoring Qi (energy and life force) in the body and can be used to treat any condition. Dry Needling works on soft tissue and can only be used to treat soft tissue conditions.

Electroacupuncture is used to further enhance the benefits of the needling.  This involves attaching a device to the needles to generate a pulse through the needles into the soft tissue.  This helps to increase the benefits of the needling while reducing the treatment time necessary.

Dry needling works well when used in conjunction with other Physical Therapy methods such as Myofascial Release, Massage, Stretching etc.  Benefits include pain reduction, decreased inflammation and improved range of movement.  Your therapist will discuss the options with you to decide on the best treatment for you.

To book Dry Needling or any of the other treatment options available, please get in contact.