Spotlight on... DRY NEEDLING
Muscle and joint pain relief may only be a few pinpricks away!
Whether you have a knot in your back that a massage won’t loosen, or ongoing muscle and joint pain, dry needling may be the remedy for you. Osteopath and dry needling practitioner Claire Richardson shares how it can help.
WHAT IS IT?
The needles used for dry needling are similar to those used in acupuncture – they’re small and fine. They’re placed into the skin (only around 3-4mm deep) atop particular muscles, tendons or ligaments to assist with pain relief.
“The term ‘dry needling’ pertains to the fact that nothing is injected – it’s literally a ‘dry’ needle that’s placed into the affected area,” Claire explains. “This is said to improve blood flow to the site where the needle is placed.”
While acupuncture is based on Chinese medicine principles and can be used for a variety of conditions, dry needling is only used for musculoskeletal injuries. It’s generally used alongside other interventions from osteopaths, physios, myotherapists, chiropractors, podiatrists and GPS.
WHICH CONDITIONS DOES IT HELP?
“Dry needling has been shown to be as effective as massage or stretching for some injuries when used in conjunction with other interventions such as exercise rehabilitation,” says Claire. “Osteopaths most commonly use dry needling in the treatment of sports injuries, lower back pain, plantar fasciitis and shoulder pain, however it can also be used in other musculoskeletal complaints.”
She adds it’s not suitable for people with lowered immune systems, and it should only be administered by certified practitioners.
HOW DOES IT FEEL?
Some people feel nothing at all when the needles enter through the skin, others feel a scratching sensation. It’s also common to feel “twitches”.
“This is where the muscle being treated momentarily contracts,” Claire describes. “This feels like a tickle, or a very quick, mild cramp. Some patients report improved effectiveness of the technique if a twitch response is present, however, studies have indicated that a twitch response is not necessarily indicative of improved outcomes.”