Dry Needling

Dry needling is a method used to release tension and discomfort in muscles. This pain may be due to many reasons, for example a nerve irritation due to a Disc Bulge, muscle stiffness due to Low Back Pain or overall tightness and pain due to a Frozen Shoulder. The process involves using thin, sterilised needles that are inserted into specific points in the muscles to relax them and decrease local inflammation.

The underlying mechanism of dry needling involves two primary ways. Firstly, the insertion of needles into the muscle triggers the nerves in that area to signal the brain that a needle is present. However, the brain recognises that the needle is not a threat, and sends a response to the muscle to relax, hence reducing muscle tension and discomfort. Secondly, dry needling also causes an increase in blood flow in the area where the needle is inserted. As a result, more nutrients are exchanged on the capillary level (proteins, enzymes etc…) which means that any inflammatory cells in that area will be flushed out, which in turn decreases stiffness and pain.

Many people wonder about the differences between acupuncture and dry needling. Acupuncture is an eastern medicine that uses needles to stimulate specific points in the body to balance the flow of “energy” or "chi". In contrast, dry needling is a western medicine technique used to alleviate muscle pain by inserting needles into tight muscle areas.

Dry needling emerged from wet needling, where practitioners injected anti-inflammatory solutions and other substances into muscles. However, with time, it was discovered that the mere presence of the needle was sufficient to stimulate muscle relaxation and decrease inflammation, leading to the birth of dry needling.