What is Dry Needling?

Trigger point dry needling is relatively new treatment method used by physiotherapists, chiropractors and massage therapists.

A myofascial trigger point (MTP) is a tender spot in a taut band of muscle which may produce a pattern of referred pain and a local twitch response. The causes of MTP’s are multifactorial, however are often caused by biomechanical/postural issues, stress, and overuse. A stressed muscle may show signs of irritation and hypertonicity and subsequently harbour many MTP’s.

During a massage session, your therapist may locate areas of muscle with MTP’s and offer to place an acupuncture needle into the MTP’s. This may elicit a local twitch response which is an involuntary spinal cord reflex causing the muscle fibres to contract. This resets the muscle spindle which is then able to relax.

Dry needling differs to acupuncture which is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine and is used to eliminate energy blockages in meridian channels.

Research has shown that dry needling may reduce inflammation and pain. The anti-inflammatory action of dry needling increases circulation to the muscle promoting relaxation and improving training recovery time.