11/109 West Burleigh Rd Burleigh Heads, Qld 4420
Monday – Friday 8:00am – 6:00pm

Dry Needling

Dry Needling is becoming increasingly popular as a technique for treating a range of muscular conditions arising from injury, overuse and inadequate stretching. Treatment involves the insertion of solid needles as used in acupuncture, usually in or around Myofascial Trigger Points. The needles are used to release the muscle and increase the blood flow to the area to promote tension release.
Dry needling

What is Dry Needling

Dry needling is a technique using Acupuncture needles to target Myofascial trigger points. You might have heard of dry needling by its other common names, Intramuscular Stimulation or Myofascial Trigger Point Dry Needling. This technique is used in the treatment of muscle pain, particularly pain related to myofascial pain syndrome.

Dry needling uses either solid filiform needles or hollow-core hypodermic needles, and it can be very effective in treating muscle pain. The myofascial trigger points are technically defined as a hyperirritable spot in skeletal muscle that is associated with a hypersensitive palpable nodule in a taut band. In simple terms, you might know these as muscle knots. Generally the area is very sensitive to touch and may also notice a small lump.

The technique has actually been around since the 1940’s, but has only really been popular since the early 2000’s.

What does Dry Needling treat?

Many people benefit from dry needling on the Gold Coast, because there are many different causes for muscle pain. If you’re not moving around much, for example office workers who remain seated for long periods, this can cause the trigger points we discussed above. However, there are plenty of other causes for myofascial trigger points to occur. Some of these include:

  • Direct blows to muscles
  • Sudden strain injuries
  • Prolonged immobilisation, such as being in a cast or sling
  • Using muscles you haven’t used for a while
  • Excessive cold or heat
  • Prolonged time in damp or draughty conditions

Referred pain is also treated with dry needling. For example, have you ever experienced pain in your neck that just doesn’t seem to go away? You try to massage the area, maybe use heat on your neck and stretch it out. None of these things seem to work and it can be extremely frustrating. That’s because the injured muscle may be elsewhere, such as your back or shoulder. The injured muscle can be treated with dry needling to offer relief in other parts of the body.

Is it like Acupuncture?

Dry needling is similar to Acupuncture, but not the same. Firstly, the needles used in Acupuncture are slightly different to those used in dry needling. Perhaps that largest difference though, is in the technique itself.

In traditional Chinese Acupuncture, needles are inserted into specific points all over the body. The idea is to allow a free flow of energy (Qi) through the body while also treating pain.

Dry needling, on the other hand, targets specific muscles that cause you pain. The needles are extremely thin, but they are inserted deep into the muscle where a myofascial trigger point is present. This causes the muscle to twitch, and this is actually the muscle contracting and relaxing in quick succession.

The other differences perhaps lay in the training required. An Acupuncturist requires a 4-year Bachelor degree which includes around 400 hours of clinical practice. This is because Acupuncture calls for a deep knowledge of anatomy. To perform dry needling in Australia, however, a person only needs 16 hours of training. Essentially, it’s just a dry needling course.

With all that being said, it’s best to seek out a qualified acupuncturist or physiotherapist for dry needling on the Gold Coast. Not only do you know they’re well trained, but they can also recommend other treatments that may be beneficial.

Who benefits from Dry Needling on the Gold Coast?

 

Essentially, anybody who suffers from muscle pain can benefit from dry needling on the Gold Coast. We see plenty of patients who report fast and prolonged pain relief from this technique. Like any treatment though, it’s worth consulting extensively with a physiotherapist or dry needling expert to determine whether the treatment is right for you.

It’s important to remember that dry needling, while not particularly painful, can feel somewhat uncomfortable. Most effective muscle treatments are the same in this regard, however if you’re a little squeamish, dry needling might not be for you. Our expert physiotherapists can recommend other forms of pain management if you’re not comfortable with dry needling.

 

Our Dry Needling Gold Coast Service

 

Our trained physiotherapists are on hand to perform dry needling treatments for all sorts of pain management. If you’re experiencing muscle pain, you’ve suffered muscle strains, or you’ve had prolonged periods of inactivity, dry needling can be very effective.

Our experts don’t just give you dry needling treatments though, because we take a more holistic approach. We provide advice and strategies to manage pain in the long-term, as well as providing relief right now. A consultation with Burleigh Central Physio isn’t just about band-aid solutions, because we want all of our patients to live a healthy, pain-free life.

It’s important to remember that dry needling is just one treatment available for muscle pain. That’s why dry needling is best done with a qualified physiotherapist as part of a whole treatment plan. To get the most out of it, you’ll still need to do stretches, use heat packs and most importantly strengthen the affected muscles. This gives you the best chance of achieving a long-term benefit from your treatment.

 

Dry Needling Gold Coast - Contast Us Today!

Are you suffering from muscle pain, injuries or restricted movement? If you are, physiotherapy is an opportunity to treat injuries and rebuild strength. Best of all, working with a qualified physiotherapist will teach you the techniques to avoid further injury and stay pain-free.

For the best dry needling on the Gold Coast, practiced in a safe, hygienic and controlled environment by trusted professionals, look no further than Burleigh Central Physio. We help with all sorts of pain management, and dry needling may be a perfect way to get you back to being pain free in no time.

We’re located at 11/109 West Burleigh Road, Burleigh Heads.
We’re open at convenient times from 8:00am – 6:00pm Monday to Friday, so contact us today to book your dry needling Gold Coast appointment.

11/109 West Burleigh Rd Burleigh Heads, Qld 4420
Monday – Friday 8:00am – 6:00pm

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