Dry Needling
What Is It?
Dry Needling Therapy is a way to release or inactivate trigger points that create pain and improve range of motion. It involves the insertion of fine acupuncture needles into trigger points or tight bands of muscles around the body. Dry needling is not acupuncture, a practice based on traditional Chinese medicine and performed by acupuncturists. Dry needling is a part of modern western medicine. It may be referred to as Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy. It is based on anatomy principles and its effects on the muscular and nervous systems. Hence dry needling is used to manage injuries and symptoms by triggering an effect on the nervous system at localised myofascial trigger points.
Why have dry needling?
It is a safe and effective method of treatment for Improved pain control
Reduced muscle tension and tightness
It alters the tensioning effects of muscles on the surrounding joints and tissues, thereby increasing the range of motion
Improved results of rehabilitation
Dry needling may provide substantially more release than a heavy massage with far less surrounding tissue damage
Used in Podiatry, Sports Medicine, Physiotherapy and Myotherapy, dry needling is a common therapy in the allied health tool bag because of its effectiveness in pain management and long term healing.
Conditions that benefit from dry needling
Headaches
Hip and Gluteal Pain
Foot Pain
Knee, Hip or Back Pain
Achilles Tendinitis/Tendinosis
Plantar Fasciitis
Sciatica
Muscular Strains
Ligament Sprains
Chronic Pain
Athletic Performance
How My Family Podiatrist uses Dry Needling
Dry needling is often performed as part of a larger plan with other suggested treatments such as joint Mobilisation and Manual Therapy, Massage, Strengthening and Stretching exercises. Your podiatrist will advise on the amount of Dry Needling to be utilised, as this is dependent on the exact diagnosis and effects that the muscular and nervous systems are having on injury healing.
In cases of poor muscle tone, dry needling is a gentler alternative to the firmer soft tissue techniques.
What is a trigger point?
A trigger point is a localised taut band of skeletal muscle located, within a larger muscle group. Trigger points can be tender to the touch and touching a trigger point may cause pain to other parts of the body.
This tightness in the musculature related to trigger points is thought to be related to changes in the nerve bundles within the muscle. Effecting these trigger points may provide a directly stimulate the nervous system to assist in changing muscle tone and hence how muscles act on our joints.
What kind of needles are used?
Dry needling involves a very thin needle that penetrate skin and stimulate underlying myofascial trigger points and muscular and connective tissues. Needles are single use and sterile and may be of different lengths, depending on the size of the muscle group.
a fear of needles? . . . . . .
Podiatrists are skilled distractors in the process. But additionally, Dry Needling is nowhere near as invasive as the needles used for inoculations and intravenous tests and treatment. Most people claim to feel minimal pain or discomfort during dry needling and describe it as a completely different sensation to needles they generally have experienced. There are a variety of clinical acupuncture needles, each only used once.
The way in which the needle is inserted differs between Podiatrists, Myotherapists, and Physiotherapists and so does the reason for using this particular technique. For this reason, you may experience different sensations as you see different therapists.
Take the first step!