A Needle For Your Aches – Effectiveness of Dry Needling

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Youth has given us the feeling of invincibility. You feel like you can do anything without getting hurt. Your age as time passes, and so do your joints and muscles. The more you use your muscles, the more they are prone to injury resulting in pain. Pain is debilitating and prevents your body from fully functioning. Simple neck pain can limit your head movement, affecting your driving safety. If you start feeling muscle and joint pain, it may be a sign for you to schedule an appointment with a physiotherapist.

What is Dry Needling

Dry needling is a method that uses sterilized needles, solid filiform or hollow-core hypodermic that are inserted into your skin and a muscle trigger point. This, in turn, produces a “twitch effect” to relax tight, tense muscles.

Dry needling is most times a painless procedure, though some patients experience a light pin-prick sensation. You may feel your muscle start to twitch, which is a normal response, and then it starts to relax. This type of treatment is commonly done with the needle being left on your skin for approximately 10 to 30 minutes. The treatment is often done with the needle being inserted and removed quickly. This is referred to as the in-and-out technique.

Another technique is inserting a needle around a knot or trigger point, not directly. This is called the non-trigger points technique, which aims to treat the central nervous system.

Dry needling is performed in tandem with other physiotherapy treatment techniques. It rarely is used on its own as a sole treatment. You may have some concerns regarding your safety during this procedure; however, the risk of being injured is very low so long as you acquire the services of a qualified physiotherapist. Injuries such as nerve damage and damage to internal organs resulting in dry needling are extremely rare.

Dry Needling versus Acupuncture

Acupuncture and dry needling appear similar on the surface. They both utilize needles that are inserted into a person’s skin, and they both aim to relieve pain. However, the similarities end there.

Acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine which treats pain by releasing your chi or healing energy. At the same time, dry needling is a modern treatment that targets trigger points and irritable muscles. Acupuncture works by pricking your skin to release endorphins to affect a person’s nervous system, while dry needling focuses on relaxing tense muscle knots and pressure points.

Effectiveness of Dry Needling

Dry needling is slowly spreading across the globe, with countries such as the United States, Canada, Ireland, and Spain having this type of physiotherapy since the 1980s. Singapore is also a country where dry needling is accepted as a form of physiotherapy.

Studies show that dry needling may be at its most effective in pain reduction and pain pressure threshold increase within the immediate to 12-week treatment period.

In another study, a type of dry needling called Ultrasound Guided Dry Needling has shown good results in treating patients with cancer pain or post-cancer treatment pain. The patients experienced pain relief, reduced swelling, and improved range of motion of affected body parts.

When to Seek Dry Needling

There are several conditions that dry needling may solve. This safe technique may reduce or eliminate pain and swelling caused by musculoskeletal issues such as lower back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, and tennis elbow.

You are a good candidate for dry needling if you are experiencing chronic pain or any movement disorder that has been going on for three months or longer. Dry needling may also help patients experiencing chronic pain from cancer or cancer treatment-related pain.

Who Should not Undergo Dry Needling?

Dry needling is not for everyone, and just like any other treatment, there are limitations and considerations. Individuals with certain conditions are advised not to undergo dry needling. Children of 11 years or younger are discouraged from undergoing dry needling. Persons with auto-immune disorders or unmanageable blood clotting should also refrain from this treatment.

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Conclusion

The everyday use of our body takes a toll on its parts. Your muscles ache from misuse, abuse, or wrong positioning. Bad running gait, wrong posture, or bad sleeping position can lead to muscle pain. Your tense muscles may also be caused by stress. Dry needling is one of the many musculoskeletal treatment techniques that may offer an alternative to drinking pain relievers.

Dry needling is safe when done by qualified physiotherapists. You should not attempt to perform dry needling on your own. There can be some complications if you continue to practice the treatment at home, so it’s best not to do this. You must contact a qualified physiotherapy clinic in Singapore that offers dry needling to get the proper treatment.