At Everton Park Sports & Spinal Physiotherapy we often hear the same questions or concerns prior to needling a patient –
- Is it safe?
- Does it hurt?
- How do you know where to needle?
- How does it work?
- What is the difference between dry needling & acupuncture?
Dry needling and acupuncture are modalities that can be used by our therapists as part of a treatment. Needling has many effects on the body that can assist in the healing process by:
- Release muscle tension or ‘trigger points’,
- Promote healing in local tissues
- Reduce pain and other symptoms
For more detailed information on how needling interacts with the regions and tissues of the body, and other information including potential risks and side-effects of needling follow the link to our e-book and attached forms on dry needling and acupuncture. (Links coming soon!)
What to expect during treatment:
At Everton Park Sports & Spinal Physiotherapy we strive to ensure our patients safety during all forms of treatment. We use single-use sterile needles that are disposed of immediately after being removed from the patient, to ensure the risk of infection is as minimal as possible.
We also use a medical questionnaire and contraindications form, as well as our own clinical knowledge, to exclude any patient that we deem inappropriate for needling. There are risks associated with needling (see attached form), especially in certain areas of the body, and our clinicians strive to needle appropriately to reduce the risk of any complications or side effects. Prior to any form of needling, we obtain informed written consent from our patients and strive to answer all your questions or concerns.
As the needles are directly inserted into your skin, the needled area must be appropriately exposed, however at Everton Park Sports & Spinal Physiotherapy we never expose or needle sensitive areas.
The needles we use at Everton Park Sports & Spinal Physiotherapy are very fine (0.25mm in diameter) and many patients report not feeling the needle pierce the skin. It is more typical for patients to experience a small sharp sensation when the needle pierces the intended structure – e.g. muscle, tendon or ligament.
Once inserted, the needles are left for up to 10-15 minutes depending on the area being treated and quantity of needles used. Whilst inserted your therapist may ‘stimulate’ the needles by twisting them or moving them in and out of adjacent muscle fibres which can cause different sensations depending on the therapist’s intention and the structure being needled. Small involuntary muscle contractions or ‘twitches’ are not uncommon and can be a desirable response to the treatment.
After needling, it is not uncommon to experience some muscle soreness in the immediate area. Some patients can also report feeling a little drowsy while others can report feeling extra alert in the hours following being needled.
