Dry needling is the practice of inserting dry needles to treat pain and movement impairments. Therapists use a dry needle without any medicine to insert into the skin in the muscles and hence the name. Dry needling is also known as trigger point dry needling or intramuscular manual therapy. It is used to treat muscle pain.

The effect of the therapies is seen after 3-4 sessions which depend on several factors like the health of the patient and duration of the symptoms.

Acupuncture and dry needling may sound synonymous. Inserting needles to cure pain is the only similarity though. Acupuncture is an age-old practice while dry needling is a recent concept, a couple of decades old. While acupuncture is based on the Chinese philosophy of regulating vital energy flow (qi) in a person’s body, dry needling is designed to stimulate trigger points or muscles that are irritable.

Dry Needling techniques

Usually, the needles are let to remain in the patient’s body for about 10-30 minutes. However, there are 2 techniques classified on the different styles of piercing the needles.

The two identified techniques are pistoning and sparrow pecking. Unlike acupuncture the needles are pricked and removed, they do not remain in the body for a long time. Hence it is also known as in and out techniques.

Sometimes the needles are pricked at non-trigger points as well, meaning in the areas around the pain. This is done to treat a wider area of the central nervous system. The needles are inserted in points surrounding the pain instead of the area of the pain. The idea relies on that pain at a particular point is a result of greater muscle or nerve strain. This technique is hence known as non-trigger point technique.

Why dry needling?

Dry needling therapy is a technique is a part of a larger treatment plan.  It is used to releasing trigger points to ease the pain. Dry needling is used to reduce muscle stiffness and increase flexibility. Dry needling improves pain control, trauma, injuries, issues with a range of motion and strains. Needling helps to improve metabolism and increase blood circulation.

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