Dry needling is a modern form of treatment that arose as a direct result of the success of acupuncture, in the treatment of certain conditions. Although muscles are designed to contract and relax, with excessive load (“weekend warriors!”) or dysfunctional nerve signals that continually overstimulate muscle, areas of focal spasm can develop within the muscle – creating a myofascial trigger point. The deactivation of these trigger points is achieved by placing a solid, thin needle into these areas of muscle tightness. It is also done to release tight areas of fascia, such as the iliotibial band (ITB). In these fascial areas that can typically be resistant to soft tissue massage, dry needling can yield some amazing release results.
Your physiotherapist or myotherapist has specialised knowledge as where to place these needles to achieve an effective treatment response. Discuss this treatment option with your therapist to determine whether dry needling is appropriate for your condition. In some cases (such as releasing tight fascia) dry needling is more comfortable than deep soft tissue massage.
