Dry Needling Treatment Bondi Junction, Eastern Suburbs Sydney

What is Dry Needling?

Dry needling is a technique mainly used to treat myofascial trigger points, but it is also used by health practitioners to target connective tissue, neural ailments, and muscular ailments. Our physios can use Dry Needling as part of your treatment to help with dysfunction of skeletal muscle and connective tissue, to minimize pain, movement impairments, swelling and inflammation, and to improve or regulate structural or functional damage.

The technique depends on which tissue is being targeted and the overall objective of the treatment. Deep Dry Needling will inactivate trigger points by provoking a local twitch response (LTR). This response is an involuntary spinal cord reflex where the muscle fibres in the taut band of the muscle contract. This twitch of the muscle indicates that the needle has been properly placed in a trigger point. The muscle then goes into a relaxation phase afterwards.

Our physios will use Dry Needling as one part of a broader treatment plan. As research shows, this technique should not be used as a standalone procedure, but it should complement other treatment methods, including manual soft tissue mobilization, neuromuscular re-education, functional retraining, and therapeutic exercises.

Dry needling is a possible treatment, similar to acupuncture, for musculoskeletal pain, tension and movement issues.

Dry needling involves inserting thin filiform needles into trigger points to stimulate them and relieve pain.

Acupuncture vs Dry Needing

Acupuncture and Dry Needling may appear similar, but their aims differ. The primary difference between the two treatments is their focus. In their own way, both Acupuncture and Dry Needle Therapies can help people move and feel better.

Acupuncture is an ancient technique from China which focuses on aligning a person’s energy flow, or chi, which can improve the overall wellness of a patient. During Acupuncture a medical professional will insert the needles at different locations and to different depths than in Dry Needling.

Dry needling is a more modern technique which aims to relieve muscle tightness and pain. It focuses on treating pain, movement impairments, and inflammation by targeting your trigger points using the same needles used in Acupuncture. In inserting a needle directly into a trigger point will relieve pain in the surrounding muscle.

Before trying dry needling for the first time you may feel more comfortable checking if the treatment is suitable for you and your pain/injury. You can consult your regular GP or contact us and speak to one of our practitioners about it.

Does Dry Needling Work?

Results are always subjective but we can confirm that most our patients get some sort of relief out of the treatment.

When your pain feels as localised ‘knots’ or tightness in the muscle and it is sore and tender to touch, we may use Dry Needling in conjunction with other techniques such as soft tissue massage, mobilization and tailored Home Exercise Programs.

The needles, when inserted, help release the ‘knot’ and relieve associated muscle pain, stiffness or spasms. This leads to muscle relaxation, reduced pain and improved function. It can also stimulate the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers, providing instant pain relief. Similarly, it can increase blood flow and circulation to the affected area allowing the body to heal and rid an accumulation of metabolic by-products such as lactic acid.

What are the Risks?

According to the 2023 Umbrella Review, Dry Needling is a safe and effective technique when a trained physiotherapist applies it. However, there are some risks associated to the treatment, even though they are very low. Some people may experience mild side effects at the site of application including:

• Pain
• Bruising
• Bleeding

Less common risks could be infections and cutaneous infections. However, these are likely to be avoided, using good aseptic (sterile) technique. Our physios prevent infections by using disposable sterile needles, wearing gloves at all times when practicing Dry Needling and disinfecting the dermal area prior to insert the needle.

Generally, these adverse events are extremely rare, and health experts consider dry needling to be a safe treatment for musculoskeletal pain.

What to Expect from Dry Needling Treatments

The needles we use are small gauge (very thin) so entering the skin is almost pain free. When we hit the trigger point though it is normal to feel a ‘jump’ or twitch in the muscle, this can be uncomfortable at the time, and it is a normal response.

Post treatment, it is common for patients to feel some soreness where the dry needling was performed. Generally, this feels like muscle soreness after a gym workout. It is normal for this to last a few hours after the treatment, and we encourage our patients to move as they would normally do as it can help the soreness dissipate earlier. This sensation will pass, and it is when this happens that the benefits are seen and felt. Our physiotherapists will always run through these expectations prior to any treatment with you and any questions or concerns are always welcomed

If you’d like to learn more about how dry needling might be able to help you, contact us.