You might have heard of acupuncture before. But have you heard about Dry Needling?
Dry needling and acupuncture are very similar. They use the same type of needles but operate under different theoretical principles. Acupuncture is an integral part of Traditional Chinese Medicine and aims to restore the body’s energy pathways (Van Hal et al., 2023; Lin et al., 2022, 1469-1481). On the other hand, dry needling is based on Western research targeting trigger points to treat musculoskeletal conditions.
What is it?
Dry needling is where a thin & sterile needle is guided into the skin and muscle, to target trigger points to improve pain and movement (Physiopedia, n.d,). Trigger points, commonly known as “knots,” are taut bands of skeletal muscle causing pain, sensitivity, tenderness, and tightness throughout the whole body.
Benefits
Dry needling has been well-researched to improve the range of movement (ROM) and to decrease muscle overactivity (Karavis, 1997, 33-42) by releasing trigger points. Pain is also decreased by the stimulation of healing & pain-relieving chemicals such as serotonin.
Dry Needle Mechanism (The Back Dr, 2024)
Indications and Contraindications
Dry needling might be for you if you are experiencing chronic pain, headaches, muscle pain, joint pain, or/and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) Pain. Nonetheless, it will be contraindicated if you have needle phobia, infections, swelling, or/and vascular diseases. Dry needling is generally not recommended for immunocompromised populations and people in their first trimester of pregnancy.
Risks
Temporary risks include bruising (8%), soreness, and bleeding (16%) (Boyce et al., 2020, 103-113). This situation will be resolved naturally in 24-72 hours. It might be possible to have an infection or pneumothorax, but these are uncommon (<1%).
If you are interested in adding dry needling to your therapy, please speak to our friendly receptionists. You are more than welcome to enquire about the Dry Needling technique with your favourite physiotherapists at Essential Health Physiotherapy.
BOOK now for your journey to recovery.
References
The Back Dr. (2024). Dry needling mechanism. Dry Needling. [Photo] https://thebackdr.com.au/services/dry-needling/
Boyce, D., Wempe, H., Campbell, C., Fuehne, S., Zylstra, E., Smith, G., Wingard, C., & Jones, R. (2020). Adverse Events Associated with Therapeutic Dry Needling. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 15(1), 103-113. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7015026/#:~:text=Since%20dry%20needling%20involves%20a,are%20possible%20hazards%20for%20patients
Karavis, M. Y. (1997). The Neurophysiology of Acupuncture: A Viewpoint. 15(1), 33-42. 10.1136/aim.15.1.33
Lin, J.-G., Kotha, P., & Chen, Y.-H. (2022). Understandings of acupuncture application and mechanisms. American Journal of Translational Research, 14(3), 1469-1481. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8991130/
Physiopedia. (n.d,, n.d n.d). Dry Needling. https://www.physio-pedia.com/Dry_Needling
Van Hal, M., Dydyk, A. M., & Green, M. S. (2023, Jul 24). Acupuncture – StatPearls. NCBI. Retrieved June 24, 2024, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532287/#article-17141.s16
