Dry Needling in Perth
Similar to Acupuncture, Dry needling is a great way to relieve pain, muscle tightness and improve functionality. We have a team of certified practitioners who can help you get the most out of this treatment option.
Get Relief from Chronic Muscle Pain with Dry Needling
Are you experiencing muscle pain or tightness, and you don’t know what to do? You may have tried many things already, but nothing seems to be working for you?
Dry needling is performed by skilled and trained physiotherapists, certified in the procedure. A thin, monofilament needle penetrates the tissues and targets underlying muscular trigger points. This treatment can improve musculoskeletal pain, muscle tightness and movement impairments.
This minimally invasive treatment can help in the management of pain and improve your movement. While the procedure’s name may sound intimidating, dry needling is safe and effective. This variation of acupuncture in patients has been known to provide relief to various types of chronic muscle pain. It can also help in the management of sports injuries, arthritis pain, and headaches.
Benefits
Benefits of Dry Needling
Fast pain control in patients
Trigger points are often associated with the shoulders, upper back, and neck knotted muscles, as well as many others.. As the knot relaxes, physiotherapists note trigger point pain reduction in patients.
Improved range of motion
Many trigger points can severely limit your mobility. You become weak and lose muscle mass when you’re inactive. To fully restore your range of motion and strength, we often combine dry needling with exercise.
Accelerated return to regular life
Alleviated chronic pain
The use of dry needling can ease chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndrome. The myofascial pain syndrome occurs when trigger points develop in the fascia, a connective tissue housing your various organs. Fibromyalgia is characterised by widespread muscular pain and tenderness.
Why Choose Archer St Physiotherapy Centre for Dry Needling
Our physiotherapists offer a unique dry needling treatment that is an effective technique for many patients with a wide range of musculoskeletal presentations. This procedure is safe, minimally discomforting and often provides relief for those who have struggled to find help elsewhere.The procedure is also at no extra cost to the patient.
Archer St Physiotherapy Centre is a trusted provider of dry needling services. Our skilled and certified physiotherapists are here to help you get back to living your life without pain complaints.
- Easily Accessible Location in Carlisle with Handicap-friendly Amenities
- Effective and Hands-On Physiotherapy
- Multi-award Winning Physio Practice
- Free and Convenient On-site Parking
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ's about Dry Needling
Is the practice of acupuncture used for physiotherapy?
There has been high-quality evidence provided that the Chinese acupuncture tradition can be beneficial in treating certain conditions, especially when used in conjunction with conventional physiotherapy treatments. The integration of manual acupuncture in patients into physiotherapy allows for better functional outcomes for patients suffering from musculoskeletal pain syndromes and many other types of pain.
The practice of acupuncture was adapted into the rehabilitation therapy community’s scope of practice in the form of dry needling. Usually accompanied by manual therapy, patients can now enjoy it as a part of their standard physiotherapy sessions.
What is the difference between real acupuncture and dry needling?
It’s important to remember that dry needling and Chinese acupuncture are different. The tools used are the same, but that’s all they have in common. Dry needling is performed by different practitioners based on their training. Unlike Chinese acupuncture, dry needling is based on Western medicine and the evaluation of patterns of pain in patients, posture, movement impairment and function.
Dry needling aims to reduce pain, inactivate trigger points, and restore function to muscles. It is rarely used alone. Treatment is often part of a broader physiotherapy approach that includes other traditional treatments.
A wide variety of musculoskeletal problems can be treated with dry needling, including shoulder, neck, heel, hip, and back pain. Dry needling also targets myofascial trigger points. Typically, a myofascial trigger point is a localised contraction or tightening of a muscle fibre that disrupts or restricts function, elicits deep pain, or causes local tenderness. The use of dry needling on a dysfunctional muscle or an active trigger point can reduce banding or tightness, increase blood flow, and reduce local and referred pain.
Is dry needling safe?
Dry needling is safe when performed by certified practitioners. It should also only be used to treat conditions under the approved scope of practice. Like any other treatment, one may experience minor adverse effects after treatment, like:
- Bruising
- Soreness during or immediately after treatment
- Fainting
- Fatigue
Due to the use of needles, people who fear needles may opt to have a different treatment for the management of pain. In very rare cases, the needle used during the procedure may hit an organ like the lung if the proper technique required for the insertion of needles is not observed. Although this is possible it is highly unlikely due to the thorough training undertaken and experience of the treating physiotherapists.
How long do dry needling results last?
Improved mobility and decreased trigger point pain are often experienced within 24 hours after treatment. It may take several treatment sessions (once a week for 2-3 weeks) before a lasting positive effect is observed.
How painful is dry needling?
One may feel a small pinching session during the dry needling session when the needles are inserted into the muscle bellies. The needles are very thin filaments. Needles entering the skin are much less painful than vaccinations or blood draws. A prompt twitch sensation occurs once the needle reaches the muscle and is short-lived. It’s common to feel sore after a treatment session, commonly called post treatment soreness”, but the superior outcomes are worth it in the long run!
Why is dry needling worth it?
- Access –
The advantage of this technique over other massage techniques is that it can reach parts of the skeletal muscle and deeper layers of muscles our hands and fingers cannot reach. It is faster at relaxing muscles than massage. - Drug-free treatment –
No drugs are used during the dry needling acupuncture protocol, so many trigger points can be treated during each session. - Muscular pain reduction in patients –
When the trigger points are deactivated, relief can be immediate, and then the skeletal muscle can be stretched and trained in its new range of motion. Thus, results are achieved with dry needling, which cannot be obtained with any other treatment.
What should you avoid after an integrated dry needling session?
- Do not treat the soreness with cold treatments
After an integrated dry needling treatment, there may be some slight bruising or soreness. While you may be tempted to use ice to ease any discomfort, we recommend using heat instead. If you only want to treat a specific bruised area, then some short-term icing would be okay. - Try not to overwork yourself
It can be tempting to stretch and exercise immediately after integrated dry needling, especially if you’ve already established a routine. Exercise and stretching can help alleviate residual soreness and improve the recovery process, which is acceptable in some cases. Just don’t push yourself too hard in the early stages. Any stretching or exercising that causes discomfort should be stopped before it worsens. This will avoid the restart of the pain cycle. - Avoid drinking alcohol
You should avoid drinking alcohol after a dry needle treatment because it dehydrates you. It is important to remember that dehydration can exacerbate soreness and other symptoms you may experience after integrated dry needling therapy. We recommend drinking plenty of water instead. In the event, you have some alcohol, limit its consumption to a limited amount, and drink plenty of water afterwards to ensure that your body has what it needs to speed up the recovery process.
What are the pros and cons of integrated dry needling?
PROS OF DRY NEEDLING
Due to its health benefits and lack of side effects, integrated dry needling therapy is rising in Western Australia. It is faster, less painful, and non-invasive, making it an ideal option for people with musculoskeletal pain. If you are unsure of the efficacy of integrated dry needling therapy, you must acknowledge the following pros.
Precise treatment
Through this Western acupuncture protocol, therapists can target specific muscles and trigger points that cause muscle pain. Consequently, it is more precise than other types of treatment, such as manual therapy or soft tissue mobilisation techniques, which treat a wider area rather than pinpoint the exact location of trigger point pain.
Integrated dry needling targets particular trigger points and offers relief as tiny needles enter into these points to relax and release tension from a surrounding larger muscle. As a result of this inhibitory process, the muscle tissue around the needle insertion site relaxes, decreasing your pain levels. It is important to note that it can be used not just to treat chronic pain complaints. Acute pain conditions also frequently benefit from dry needling analgesia (pain relief).
Quicker recovery
By promoting blood flow around injured tissue, which provides nutrients for the cells to heal themselves, dry needling speeds patients’ return to activity following injury and increases their range of motion. Strong evidence also suggests that the increased blood flow that accompanies the treatment is also responsible for accelerated tissue healing rates. It is also known for speeding up the healing process after surgery because it reduces scar tissue formation.
Improved posture
Your posture can be improved by integrated dry needling, which will prevent injuries in the future. Posture habits contribute to poor body mechanics, muscle imbalances, excessive stress on joints and bones, and pain throughout your body.
Integrated dry needling has been shown to reduce muscular hypertonicity (tension) by relaxing overactive muscles that prevent the spine from moving properly.
Can be used with other treatments
Dry needling can be used alone or in conjunction with other therapies to alleviate discomfort. Those with persistent musculoskeletal conditions, such as chronic low back pain, may benefit from electrical stimulation in addition to dry needling. This allows for intramuscular stimulation while providing acupuncture analgesic to the actual location of the trigger point.
CONS OF DRY NEEDLING
Integrated dry needling offers many benefits, but there are also some cons you should consider before undergoing treatment, whether you use this technique or not.
Bruising and Swelling
In some patients with certain conditions or thin skin who would bruise easily, needles may cause bruising and swelling around where they are inserted, which may not suit them. People with bleeding disorders should avoid integrated dry needling since needles may cause internal bleeding, increasing their risk of complications.
Injury
The integrated dry needling practice can be dangerous when done incorrectly or by untrained professionals. Integrated dry needling can cause injury, particularly in sensitive areas like your eyes and mouth. Rarely the needle can cause serious injuries like nerve damage and paralysis by damaging another part of your body during the insertion of needles.
Dangers of Improper Practice
Integrated dry needling is a highly skilled procedure that requires extensive training before being performed on patients. The procedure should only be performed by experienced doctors and physiotherapists trained in the technique.
Is dry needling painful?
The acupuncture needles of this type are very thin, so inserting them doesn’t hurt. You may feel sore if the muscle fibres twitch when you insert it. This noxious stimulation should only be present for a day or two.
How big are the needles used for dry needling?
The needles used in clinical practice are sterile disposable needles 0.16mm – 0.3mm thick and 13mm – 50mm long. The choice of monofilament needle depends on the depth of the trigger point within the tissue and the dry needling technique.
Can you do dry needling on yourself?
Only healthcare professionals can perform this procedure in their scope of practice. Health practitioners who treat pain and movement, such as physiotherapists, chiropractors, and myotherapists, are generally eligible for the course. Nevertheless, certain techniques cannot be performed on yourself due to trigger point location and needle insertion technique.
To hit the target structure and keep the patient comfortable during the treatment, the patient must be positioned properly. This may prove difficult when performing trigger point dry needling on oneself.
Can dry needling cause damage?
A trigger point dry needling treatment may involve the repetitive and rapid insertion of needles into myofascial trigger points. This type of treatment may cause damage to bands of tissue in muscles or nerve fibres. Thankfully, the regeneration and reinnervation of muscle are not perturbed by repetitive dry needling punctures.
How deep does the needle go during treatment?
The recommended insertion depth is 5-10mm to treat muscle trigger points. When put into perspective, the length of the eraser nib on a brand new pencil is around 5mm. The depth is dependent on the target structures to be hit by the needle. More proximal structures or muscles near the spine do not require the insertion of needles to be deep.
