Dry needling effective pain reliever

SPREADING FAST: A physiotherapist says needling is a fast way of treating pain syndrome

Sept 8: The treatment of pain and dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system through the use of sterile monofilament needles called ‘dry needling’ is gaining momentum globally and is being introduced in Oman with training of physiotherapists by expert trainers in the field.

Claire Waumsley, Physiotherapist and Doctor in Chinese medicine, Codirector of Optimal Dry Needling Solutions (ODNS) Company in South Africa, termed this technology highly successful, with low risk to benefit ratio and efficient technique. She was in Salalah recently to attend a conference on the effectiveness of dry needling.

In an interview with Observer, Waumsley also made a point that the “highly effective technique is inexpensive and portable to rural clinics and sports teams.”

Asked about the technique’s feasibility in Oman, Waumsley said: “This is my third visit in Oman and I am sure that this kind of treatment is available in Oman. A group of physiotherapists have received specialised training from experts and they are able enough to give treatment.”

“If we talk about the prevalence of dry needling technique in Oman, it is on the ground or base level but overall, on the scale of 10 it stands at 4 and there are physiotherapists who are at the level of 8,” she said.

Waumsley technique for because it is calls the fast

it

it important physiotherapists way of treating myofascial pain syndrome, headache and back pain. “Dry needling in South Africa is 20-25 years old and it is prevalent as acceptable way of treatment around the world.”

The treatment of pain and dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system is done through the use of sterile monofilament needles. Although acupuncture needles are used to practice dry needling, classical acupuncture and dry needling, according to her, are different.

Commenting on the technique, Waumsley said, “There are trigger points of myofascial pain known as MTrPs. They are sites of muscle injury where local biochemical changes lead to sustained muscles contraction, compression of blood vessels and a local energy crisis that causes hypoxia — this situation perpetuates the release of inflammatory cytokines and nociceptive substances.”

She cited some studies which suggested that myofascial pain syndrome is the most common cause of chronic and persistent regional pain, including shoulder pain, chronic back pain, tension-type headaches, and facial pain.

Headaches, according to the study, is the most prevalent pain disorderglobally affecting 66 per cent of the population. “The study has suggested that dry needling could reduce symptoms of tension-type headache (TTH) by 30 -65 per cent and reduce cervicogenic headaches (CGH) by 85.5 per cent. As such overall evidence supports use of dry needling in conjunction with other physiotherapy treatments.”

Waumsley insisted that dry needling provided statically significant reductions in plantar heel pain, but magnitude of effect should be considered against frequency of adverse events (AEs).

“It is not just about the tool, but where the tool fits our clinical thinking. Dry needling and the theories supporting its use in the clinic are well documented in literature. We are comfortable with the level of evidence, as the recent increase in research being conducted and how it fits into the process of systemic clinical reasoning.”