Dry Needling

Dry needling involves inserting specialist sterile dry needles into tight muscles to reduce pain. Like acupuncture, dry needling reduces soreness and discomfort. While acupuncture is focused on energy and a person’s “chi” via pressure points all over the body, dry needling is used on specific body parts that are the issue. 

The therapist places needles directly in and around the muscle that is presenting the pain to try and restore blood flow to the area and loosen it up. Dry needling can be helpful for anyone who’s dealing with sports injuries, fibromyalgia, and other aches and pains. 

It is particularly effective when the needle stimulates your muscles i.e. when local twitch responses are produced within the muscle. After the muscle finishes twitching, the spontaneous electrical activity subsides, and pain and dysfunction decrease dramatically.

Your therapist might use dry needling as part of your treatment plan, but will check that you are happy with this first! You may resemble a hedgehog for a little while during your treatment, but you’ll feel a whole lot better afterwards!