Medical Acupuncture / Dry Needling

08 May Medical Acupuncture / Dry Needling

Medical Acupuncture / Dry Needling

I use Dry Needling / Medical Acupuncture on a day to day basis in the clinic. It has a range of benefits to the patient and can have a dramatic effect in reducing nerve pain and muscle discomfort within 24 hours of treatment.

Conditions

I often find that muscle tissue which is painful to palpate (massage) and tissue with knots / trigger points / adhesions respond well to dry needling. Nerve pain also responds well to Medical Acupuncture, especially in areas such as the low back, glutes, hips and into the neck & shoulders.

Procedure

Medical Acupuncture is best performed when the clint / patient is lying down. I locate the area to be treated, ask the client to inhale and then as they exhale a long slow breath, insert the needle with a short, sharp “tap”. I then adjust the needle to stimulate the central nervous system. The client feels a “scratch” or little electric jolt which kick-starts the production of pain-killing chemicals and muscle relaxants (amongst other things).

Effects

Medical Acupuncture has a relaxing effect on the local muscle tissue & fascial fibres. Loose muscles allow blood to flow more freely and for nerve fibres to be decompressed. Dry Needling also releases peptides, white blood cells and pain inhibitors.

Reasons to use Medical Acupuncture

• Analgesia (pain relief) works at  3 nervous levels; local, segmental and supra-spinal.
• The application of medical acupuncture positively influences deep muscle tissue healing
• Helps with fascial and superficial fibre relaxation.
• Initiates a variety of physiological responses that can positively influence inflammation, healing and recovery.
• Dry needling influences both local and central physiological responses.
• Can be an effective treatment for a number of myofascial (muscular & fascial) pain conditions.
• Triggers a vaso-dilatory response, increasing local blood circulation, which is thought to support pain relief and local tissue healing.