Dry Needling is a therapy that involves the insertion of fine filiform (acupuncture) needles into a local area of muscle tension (trigger points aka 'knots'). 

Trigger points are small areas of tightly knotted muscle fibres that develop when the muscle contracts but doesn't relax. They can then pinch on nerves and blood vessels activating your nervous system to send repeated pain messages to the brain making the nerves more sensitive and reducing your range of motion.

As the fibres are tightly contracted, they deprive the area of the normal blood, oxygen and the nutrients required to heal and acidic waste builds up adding to the pain.

What are the benefits of Dry Needling?

• Improved blood flow and oxygenation of the area - this offers quick pain relief.
• Improved range of motion - dry needling can cause an involuntary 'local twitch response' in the muscle which causes it to relax and lengthen.
• Reduction in the sensitivity to pain by producing local and central nervous responses- diminishing inflammation.
• Needle stimulation triggers a healing response to damaged (contracted) tissue.

What can it help with?

Almost all types of aches and pain including muscle tightness or spasm as well as specific conditions such as: Tennis/Golfers Elbow, Frozen Shoulder, Sciatica, tendinitis, IT Band Syndrome, Plantarfaciitis, Piriformis Syndrome to name a few!

How long does it take to see results with Dry Needling treatments?

It usually takes 2-3 visits for lasting changes to hold. Usually muscles will relax at first then fall back into old patterns of pain and dysfunction. Therefore, there is a cumulative effect over multiple treatments where the neuro-muscular patterns are retrained. After a certain number of treatments the pain cycle is broken and proper muscle and nerve function is restored.

Does it hurt?

Some areas are more sensitive than others but generally it will feel like a slight scratch on insertion. Once they are in you will feel quite relaxed.

What should I do after dry needling?

• Rest
• Drink plenty of water
• Get a good nights sleep.
• It is best not to workout but walking or any gentle movement is helpful to promote blood circulation.
• Alternating ice & heat can be helpful if you feel sore.

What are the other possible side-effects of treatment?

You may feel a little sore and the muscles may feel like they are a bit bruised but also more relaxed at the same time. It is common for the soreness to last between a few hours and a few days. Drinking plenty of water will speed up recovery.

Local bruising from the treatment is possible, but not a cause for concern. Any bruising will disappear quickly and should be restricted to large muscle groups such as the shoulders.

It is common to feel tired and emotional after treatment. This is a normal response that can last up to 1-2 hours after treatment. Most likely this feeling will pass quickly and you will sleep better than usual following treatment.

It should be noted that there are times when treatment may actually increase pain symptoms. This is normal and part of the body’s healing cycle. The normal healing cycle is pro-inflammatory at first then anti-inflammatory later.