Effectiveness of Dry Needling in Musculoskeletal pain conditions.
Physiotherapist Sakshi Duseja explains Dry Needling – what it is, how it differs from acupuncture, and how it can be used in treating musculoskeletal pain.
Sakshi is a qualified Physiotherapist with a masters degree in Sports and Exercise Science and Medicine. Her areas of expertise include sports injury management and rehabilitation, musculoskeletal physiotherapy, dry needling and acupuncture. She has appointments Monday-Thursday* and on alternate Saturdays at The Lomond Clinic.
*Other physiotherapist appointments are available on Fridays.
See more about Sakshi | See more about Physiotherapy & Sports Rehab services at The Lomond Clinic | Book an Appointment
What is Dry Needling?
Dry needling is a technique in which a fine needle is used to penetrate the skin, subcutaneous tissues, and muscle. It is most commonly used to treat trigger points, which are sensitive, palpable, taut points/band in a muscle.
Trigger points can develop because of muscle overload, overuse and repetitive movements. These trigger points can disrupt your muscle function, restrict your range of motion or cause pain and tenderness.
What can it be used for?
Dry needling is a safe technique for treating many musculoskeletal conditions, including:
- shoulder pain
- rotator cuff pain
- biceps tendinitis
- iliotibial band syndrome
- Achilles tendinitis
- low back pain
- tennis elbow
- whiplash or neck pain
- headaches
- muscle strains
- hip pain
- temporomandibular pain.
The needles remain in your muscle for a short period — between 10 seconds and 20 minutes — during treatment. This depends on the treatment location, number of needles used, and treatment goals.
Key benefits of Dry Needling
There are 4 major benefits of the Dry Needling technique:
- Easily tolerable: As opposed to other trigger point releasing techniques like manual facial release (MFR) and massage, dry needling is more easily tolerated by many patients and gets the same, or sometimes better, results.
- Pain relief: Pain improves as the knot releases and the blood flow to the area improves. Increased blood flow means that the muscle gets oxygen to speed up the healing process.
- Improved mobility: Trigger points usually limit your range of motion. Releasing those trigger points will improve your mobility and flexibility.
- Chronic pain relief: Dry needling is one of the best techniques to relieve chronic pain. It is very affective in conditions like fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndrome.
Differences between acupuncture and dry needling
There are similarities between acupuncture and dry needling. Both techniques involve insertion of thin and sterile needles into specific parts of the body. Both dry needling and acupuncture stimulate the body’s natural healing process by releasing endorphins and other natural pain-relieving chemicals.
| Acupuncture | Dry Needling |
|---|---|
| Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine technique based on the flow of energy in the body | Dry needling is a modern technique used by various health care professionals to treat musculoskeletal conditions |
| The needles are inserted at specific points to alter the flow of energy in the body | Needles are inserted into trigger points of muscles to release muscle tension |
| The time of treatment in usually between 25-40 minutes | The time of treatment is between 10 seconds and 20 minutes |
Find out more or make an appointment
If you’d like to read more about acupuncture, have a look at our Acupuncture page.
If you’ve any questions you would like to ask, please contact Sakshi via reception by calling 01436 672677 or by email. We will also be happy to book you in for a session if you are looking for Sakshi’s expertise in this area.
All text and images by Sakshi Duseja. For more information, contact us or give us a call on 01436 672677. To make an appointment, phone 01436 672677 or make a booking online
Join our mailing list
We are a well-established multi-disciplinary health clinic on the seafront of Helensburgh. Join our mailing list to get all the latest news and updates directly to your inbox!