Where Western science meets Eastern tradition….
Dry Needling is an effective way to eliminate trigger points in taut muscle bands found in many acute and chronic injuries or pain syndromes. It may also used to stimulate healing in chronic tendon problems such as tennis elbow.
In the case of trigger point treatment, needles are inserted directly into the muscle trigger points. These are overactive areas of muscle and fascia, a tough connective tissue that wraps around most of the structure of the human body.
Typically the needle is inserted into the taut band within the muscle until a “twitch response” is achieved. Often a number of twitches are achieved within a session. There is then a reflex relaxation and lengthening of the muscle and trigger point.
For tendon problems, the needle is inserted around the injured tendon. This may stimulate an inflammatory response around the tendon in the hope of promoting healing in chronic tendon pain. We typically consider dry needling for tendon pain that has been present for more than 8 weeks.
Usually after the first treatment session, relief lasts 3-4 days. Following each subsequent session the duration of pain relief is longer. Up to three or four sessions can be required to eliminate the trigger point, but a single trigger point should be needled no more than twice per week.
Results are usually seen after two weekly sessions. But if no change is seen we may trial other approaches such as shockwave therapy. On average we would expect to treat you with dry needling three to four times.
Dry needling differs from Traditional Chinese Acupuncture. Where Acupuncture focuses on targeting “meridians”, Dry Needling is anatomically based, and used to penetrate the injured tissue directly. While both forms will provide pain relief, Dry Needling is aiming to restore normal tissue function.
Indepentently rated
Alessandro Poletto
Sports & Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist
Chris Bestwick
Sports & Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist
Liam McCloskey
Sports & Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist
David Wynne
Sports & Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist
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