I am pleased to announce that Dry Needling is now available as a treatment option at LR Elite Sports Therapy!! I have been qualified to provide Dry Needling as part of injury treatment and pain management since 2018 and I have now registered with Sheffield City Council allowing me to perform Dry Needling at LR Elite Sports Therapy.
What is dry needling?
Dry needling involves the use of thin needles, as used in acupuncture, to penetrate the skin. It is typically used to treat muscles, ligaments, tendons, fascia, scar tissue, peripheral nerves and neurovascular bundles for the management of a variety of pain and neuromuscular conditions. Dry Needling stimulates neural, muscular and connective tissues to influence the recipient's perception of pain.
What is the difference between dry needling and acupuncture?
Traditional acupuncture originates in Chinese medicine and is based on the belief that an energy, known as Qi, flows through the body via channels or meridians. When practiced in the traditional manner those that use acupuncture will attempt to influence the flow of Qi through the body to manage an individual’s symptoms.
Dry needling approaches pain from an anatomical standpoint and attempts to modify a patient's symptoms by directly acting on the muscles to stimulate a neural response that can reduce the experience of pain and improve sensations of muscle tightness and stiffness.
What are the benefits of dry needling?
Dry needling can be beneficial in providing pain relief for a wide array of musculoskeletal conditions across all areas of the body. It is particularly beneficial for short term pain relief, allowing individuals to complete rehabilitation programmes to the best of their abilities and therefore improve their outcomes. Dry needling can also help to reduce the sensations of muscle tightness and stiffness allowing people to recover from high intensity training programmes and the demands of daily life.
Where does the dry bit come from?
The term dry needling is used to describe the insertion of needles without any fluid such as you would get if you were to receive an injection or vaccination, which is known as wet needling.
Is dry needling right for me?
Dry needling can be used to treat most people. It is most beneficial for those that are in pain as it’s greatest benefits are seen in pain modulation. If you have damaged muscle fibers for example, dry needling won’t cause them to heal - however it may reduce your pain to a point that you are able to complete your rehab resulting in improved recovery times.
What are the risks of Dry Needling?
Dry needling is a very low risk intervention.. The needles are single use, and extremely fine so although they pierce the skin they cause no damage to structures and the infection risk is low. Sheffield City Council have performed an inspection of the clinic and determined that the hygiene practices that are in place are sufficient to keep the infection risk low.
The most severe risk associated with dry needling is a pneumothorax. This is when air escapes the lungs and enters the chest cavity, causing collapse of the lung. This can happen when a needle is mistakenly inserted into the lung. Although there is very little risk of this happening as when treating this area certain techniques and needle sizes will be selected. However, it is likely that in the area that this is a risk an alternative treatment will be recommended.
Sometimes you may feel a little drowsy following dry needling, this is perfectly normal and is likely associated with the feelings of relaxation. However, it is important to be aware of this and if you are feeling particularly drowsy then avoid driving until you are feeling better.
What can I expect from a dry needling treatment session?
As with all appointments we will start by having a chat so that I can get to know you and the history of your current complaint. You will then undergo a practical assessment which will involved some movements and tests. This will enable us to determine whether dry needling is an appropriate treatment for you at this time. If so, you will complete a consent form and we can get started. Needles are generally inserted around the area of pain, although some may be placed in other locations. Needles are then left in for between 10 and 30 minutes and may be occasionally ‘stimulated’ which means actions such as twisting and flicking them. When the needles are ready to be removed I will pull them straight out and place them into a sharps bin. Very occasionally there may be a very slight bleed that may need swabbing but this doesn’t happen often. After this we will assess how you feel and may look at some of the actions that we tested prior to see if there has been any immediate effect.
How many treatments will I need?
Dry needling is usually offered as a course of 4 - 6 sessions as this has been seen to have the greatest effects. This is generally because dry needling allows you enough pain relief to follow a rehab programme. Following your initial consultation and treatment we will discuss a treatment plan together and you will be able to schedule follow up appointments. Saying this, some people have found that they have an immediate improvement in their symptoms after one session.
Does it hurt?
Dry needling is not usually painful. You may feel a small scratch as the needle is inserted into the skin. Occasionally the needle will hit painful spots in the muscle but again this usually subsides very quickly but may return if the needle is stimulated. Usually once the needles are inserted you will not feel them at all but sometimes there is an awareness of them but this is not usually painful. If you do feel any pain it is important to let your therapist know immediately. There is sometimes some tenderness and bruising at the insertion site for a couple of days post treatment.
Is Dry Needling suitable for everyone?
Dry Needling can be used to treat most people. During your assessment we will determine if it is likely to be a useful treatment technique for you. However, there are a few contraindications which would mean that certain people are not appropriate candidates for Dry Needling. These include:
Unwilling or unable to give consent
Needle Phobia
Medical emergency or acute medical condition
Local Infection
Over an area of Lymphodema
Metal Allergy
Certain conditions such as bleeding disorders, cardiac conditions, pregnancy, epilepsy etc may influence your suitability for Dry Needling but do not rule you out completely.
Interested in Dry Needling?
If you are interested in seeing if dry needling may benefit you, then raise it at your next appointment. If you are a new client, please book an initial consultation via the website and we can decide together if this intervention is suitable. As ever you can contact via the website or socials if you have any other questions.
I realise this was lengthy so thanks for sticking with me this far 🩵
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