Sticking needles into your body… isn’t this some form of biohacking?
No, far from it.
Dry needling is an entirely safe and increasingly popular physiotherapy practice. As more physio practices offer the pointy treatment, you might be wondering what the benefits are and whether it’s right for you.
These are all good questions. Now for some answers.
What is dry needling and does it work?
Dry needling is a Western Physiotherapy practice that involves very thin needles being inserted into strategic trigger points on the body in order to loosen up tight bands of tissue, increase healthy blood flow, and stimulate the body’s healing mechanisms.
Does it really work?
Absolutely. Multiple studies have shown there are health benefits associated with dry needling some of which we’ll touch on below.
What does dry needling do to your body?
When the (very) thin needles are inserted into the trigger points, a few different things happen:
- Oxygen circulation is stimulated within the bloodstream, helping you recover from any injuries and even optimising performance.
- The needles help ease stiff muscles and can ease joint pain.
- As the needles hit specific trigger points, lactic acid and other metabolic chemicals that have built up are released – allowing the body to come back into a state of balance.
What are the benefits of dry needling?
Now you understand what’s actually going on – you might be wondering if there are any real benefits from this. The fact is that many people do dry needling for a whole host of different reasons. Some of the major benefits people record are the following:
1. Muscle relaxation and pain relief
Dry needling is known to help with many issues, but perhaps the most common is that of tight muscles and pain relief. By targeting specific trigger points in the body, dry needling can increase blood flow and oxygenate the bloodstream, allowing the body to overcome inflammation and reduce the chemicals, such as lactic acid, that create pain.
2. Quicker recovery times
One thing is for sure – injury sucks. Indeed, the process of recovery can be long and hard, and sometimes the wait can be excruciating. With dry needling, your body is given the chance to overcome stress and tightness that hinders the recovery process.
3. Increased flexibility and range of motion
Whether you’re an athlete or not, having full use and range of motion is critical. Dry needling acts as a lubricant for the tight joints, and releases muscles from crippling periods of tension by targeting trigger points. By helping the body conduct its natural process, dry needling acts as an enabler of normal bodily function by loosening tension and allowing fluid mobility.
How do I know if dry needling is right for me?
It’s a good question! The best way to find out is by giving it a try and speaking to your physiotherapist about how to include it in your normal physio routine. There are many benefits to gain from dry needling, and sometimes combining this with other physiotherapy exercises can be even more effective.
What conditions can dry needling treat?
As a bonafide physiotherapy practice, many people have found that dry needling can help with a range of health issues such as:
- Pain and muscle tension
- Neck and joint pain
- Back pain
- Headaches and migraines
- Sciatica
Hold up. What are the side effects?
First, it should be said that dry needling is completely safe. While it may seem a bit strange at first, there’s no need to worry about any strange side effects. With that in mind, there are a few after-effects that you may experience, such as tiredness or a slight soreness after treatment – but this is normal!
You’ll want to make sure that you seek treatment only from a professional physiotherapist, because yes, the practice can be dangerous if administered by someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing.
Is dry needling painful?
In short, no. You may experience a slight dull soreness after treatment, but the overall treatment process is of low pain intensity and easy to do. This is because the filiform needles used for dry needling are ultra-thin and thus can hardly be felt as they penetrate the skin.
Who benefits most from dry needling?
Many different groups can benefit from dry needling, but some may do so more than others.
Research shows that people suffering from chronic pain or instability can benefit from faster rehabilitation and greater improvements over a shorter recovery period, while people suffering from myofascial pain syndrome can also benefit from dry needling and a way of reducing pain.
To see whether your symptoms can be reduced with dry needling – get in contact with your local physio Perth.
Where to get dry needling Como
If you’re interested in giving dry needling a go, it is important to choose your physiotherapist wisely. Go with an established practice that offers dry needling as one of their main services. Be sure to speak with your physio about how best to incorporate dry needling into a larger physio programme to make the most of it.
Want to get started?
Get in touch with dry needling Como for your initial consultation today.
Barry Lachey is a Professional Editor at Zobuz. Previously He has also worked for Moxly Sports and Network Resources “Joe Joe.” He is a graduate of the Kings College at the University of Thames Valley London. You can reach Barry via email or by phone.
