Dry needling is a very safe and efficient technique that can help relieve pain in lots of patients, which uses a thin needle to prick the painful muscle (trigger-point). It stimulates the muscle fibres and can release the trigger-point pain. A trigger-point is a very localised hard and painful point in a muscle. Which can result in local pain or referred pain to other regions of the body. For example, trigger-point in your shoulder can radiate to the head or arm.
This form of therapy can be a bit painful but is generally much quicker and more effective than massage. Because no liquid is injected it is termed dry needling. The needle initiates a muscle reflex which activates the muscle briefly allowing it to relax afterwards. The cramps and pain decrease or disappear and the muscle function improves. A reduction in pain and freed up movement are often noticeable directly after the treatment. Sometimes it can be quite sensitive after the treatment but the feeling should subside after a day or two.
Physical complaints are often the result of tense muscles. Pain and tension (for example through stress) lead you to make compensations which affect your posture and the muscle lengths. Unnecessary tension can often result in muscle pain, leads to cramps and end up cascading into a wider area and more chronic issues.
