Dry needling and acupuncture are increasingly popular treatment options for managing pain and restoring movement. Whilst they both involve the use of fine needles; they differ in their approach and purpose. Below, we explore what dry needling is, how it works, who it may benefit, and how it compares to acupuncture.
What Is Dry Needling?
Dry needling is a treatment intervention that uses a thin needle to penetrate the skin and stimulate underlying myofascial trigger points, otherwise known as muscle knots. This technique is used to treat dysfunctions in the muscle, fascia, and connective tissue, helping to reduce pain and restore function. The end goal is to improve movement, activity, and participation in daily life.
You may be wondering, “But what are myofascial trigger points?”
Myofascial trigger points are hyperirritable spots in a taut band of muscle that produce pain when stimulated.
What Causes Myofascial Trigger Points?
Myofascial trigger points, or muscle knots, can develop for a variety of reasons, including:
- Trauma, such as chronic overload.
- Degeneration, which can reduce range of motion (ROM), leading to shortened muscle length, altered function, antalgic gait, and changes in posture.
- Radiculopathy (nerve-related pain).
- Emotional and psychological factors
- Endocrine and metabolic issues, such as thyroid insufficiency.
- Nutritional factors, including deficiencies.
- Respiratory issues
Types of Dry Needling:
There are two different types of dry needling techniques: superficial and deep. During your consultation, the technique used will depend on how you and your body respond to the needle insertion. This can be adjusted throughout treatment to achieve the most appropriate outcome.
As part of the treatment, the practitioner may rotate the needle or gently draw it in and out of the skin.
What Type of Needle Is Used?
The type of needle used will vary depending on several factors, including body type, the location of the trigger point, the desired effect, and your response to any previous needling experience.
How Does Dry Needling Work?
Different methods are used to achieve different outcomes. Dry needling can help remodel connective tissue and increase blood supply to the skin and muscle through widening of the blood vessels (vasodilation). This may appear as redness on the skin.
In addition, biochemicals are released within the cells that interact with pain pathways to help reduce pain. When combined with stretching, dry needling has been shown to enhance tissue relaxation.
Who Can Benefit from Dry Needling?
Dry needling may help with a wide range of conditions, including:
- Post-operative shoulder pain
- Chronic heel pain and plantar fasciitis
- Low back pain
- Shoulder impingement or sub-acromial pain syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
- Spasticity following a stroke
Why Use Dry Needling Over Other Forms of Therapy?
Manual therapies, such as massage, can leave a much larger footprint in terms of post-treatment soreness and pain. Recovery time may be longer and return to function can be slower.
Dry needling, on the other hand, has a smaller footprint and is often used when an injury or condition is not improving – or is worsening – despite the current treatment approach.
What Is the Difference Between Dry Needling and Acupuncture?
Acupuncture involves placing needles into specific points called acupoints, which are located along meridians – also known as the body’s energy pathways. Each meridian is named after a particular organ, and there are 361 acupuncture points throughout the body.
Acupoint needling is performed at locations that, when stimulated, bring about health benefits. Interestingly, many acupoints share the same locations as myofascial trigger points.
Dry needling, when combined with targeted stretching and exercise, can help reduce pain and restore function. This approach can be particularly useful if your current treatment plan is not working or if additional methods are needed to help you return to achieving your goals. If you are interested in booking this in, then please get in touch. Book an appointment with a physio online.
