Stoddard Road Physio
Dry Needling
Dry Needling is a specialised technique which both our clinicians have mastered over the past 10 years. We have successfully completed five levels of courses in Dry Needling, including two “Advanced” levels which require expert demonstration of needle practice and accurate identification of the human anatomy. Our most recent Advanced level qualifications were hosted and certified by the Global Education of Manual Therapists (GEMt) Dry Needling Courses in Australia.
As GEMt needlers, we can safely and comfortably target some of the deepest layers of muscle in the body with a needle to effectively treat if required. For more information on GEMt Dry Needling please visit https://www.gemtinfo.com.au/what-is-dry-needling/
What is Dry Needling?
Manual Therapists worldwide use Dry Needling to effectively treat a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions.
It involves the therapist manipulating a single-use acupuncture filament needle to release a “trigger point” or tight area of muscle tissue to help reduce pain or dysfunction. The aim is to achieve a local twitch response to release tension. It is well-researched that the “twitch” response in the muscle during dry needling is associated with a muscle relaxing its pull on adjacent areas
What does the patient experience?
The filament needle is very thin, and you may or may not feel it enter your skin. If the area is quite sensitive, then you may feel a cramp or muscle twitch sensation which is short-lasting and followed by a feeling of pain relief and relaxation.
Afterwards, there is sometimes a mild temporary muscle soreness associated with an increased healing response from the body. This is normal and does not require any additional care.
Contraindications to Dry Needling
Dry Needling is an extremely safe practice for most people, but there are still some areas which require further research. Please inform your clinician if you are pregnant, or have any of the following:
- Metal allergies
- Implants
- Axillary or inguinal node dissection
- Joint replacements
- Needle phobia
Benefits of Dry Needling
When used as part of a comprehensive treatment program, Dry Needling is often the key that unlocks your potential. With stubborn trigger points often 5-6 layers deep in the muscle, it can be difficult and time-consuming to massage or mobilise through these layers of tissue to get to the source.
A needle can quickly and effectively slide through these layers and elicit a 'twitch' response to relax and release the affected muscle tissue. This also increases blood flow to the surrounding tissue, which results in a quicker overall recovery.
With dry needling lasting no more than a few minutes, we can see results almost immediately and treat multiple areas simultaneously if indicated.
Fast, effective, recovery!
