One of the most common questions we hear in clinic is: “Will dry needling work for my injury?”
The short answer is: Yes it can, especially if you're dealing with muscle pain, tightness, or reduced mobility. Dry needling is a technique used by trained professionals to reduce pain, release muscle spasms, and improve range of motion by targeting myofascial trigger points. Those tight, sensitive spots in your muscles that can cause discomfort and limit movement.
How Does It Work?
To understand that, we need to look at what’s happening inside your muscles when trigger points form. These areas often arise in response to muscle fatigue or a protective “splinting” reaction where the body tightens up in response to pain. This can lead to an excessive release of acetylcholine, a chemical that stimulates muscle contraction at the motor endplate (where your nerve meets the muscle). The result? A continuous, painful contraction, reduced blood flow, and heightened sensitivity in the local nerves. Ouch!
Dry needling works by inserting a fine needle directly into these tight bands of muscle. This can create a local twitch response, an involuntary reflex that helps reset the muscle. This reflex can improve the muscle’s length and tension, and may interrupt pain signals travelling through the nervous system.
How Dry Needling Helps?
Dry needling works by inserting a fine needle directly into these tight bands of muscle. This results in several therapeutic benefits (from Cagnie et al, 2013):
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Local Twitch Response: Needling can generate an involuntary spinal reflex and resultant local contraction of the affected muscle. This can lead to improved length and tension of muscle fibres, as well as providing altered, pain-reducing nerve input.
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Effects on Blood Flow: Sustained contraction of taut muscle bands in trigger points might cause local ischemia and hypoxia. Dry needling causes vasodilation in the small blood vessels leading to increased muscle blood flow and oxygenation.
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Neurophysiological Effects: Dry needling can elicit local and central nervous responses, promoting homeostasis at the trigger point site and leading to a decrease in both central and peripheral sensitisation to pain.
For a more detailed explanation, visit our page on Dry Needling.
Important Considerations
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Proper Training: Dry needling should only be performed by trained and qualified professionals who are aware of contraindications and precautions.
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Side Effects: Mild side effects like soreness, bruising, or fatigue can occur, but serious adverse reactions are rare.
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Part of a Plan: Dry needling may not be suitable for everyone, and it should be discussed with a healthcare professional to determine if it's appropriate as part of a comprehensive management plan for your pain.
For more information on how dry needling can be integrated into your treatment plan, check out PhysioWorks' comprehensive guide on Acupuncture & Dry Needling.
At PhysioWorks, most of our physiotherapists are qualified and skilled in dry needling and would be happy to discuss your treatment options.
What Conditions Could Dry Needling Help?
Dry needling may be considered by your healthcare professional after their thorough assessment in the following conditions:
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