Dry needling

What is a dry needling treatment? 

Dry Needling (Needle Therapy, Dry Needling) is a minimally invasive method of pain treatment that we use at Fizjo&Well in conjunction with physiotherapy techniques. We use needling for a wide range of ailments, including back pain, muscle strains, headaches, osteoarthritis, scar therapy, swelling and joint pain.

Are dry needling and acupuncture the same thing?

Dry needling is a treatment similar to acupuncture, but the methods differ in several ways. The first difference is the mechanism of action of both methods. 

Classical Chinese acupuncture is based on the idea of energy circulating in the body, while dry needling aims to relax points of maximum muscle tension (trigger points) by inserting a dry needle and manipulating it skilfully. The dry needling method lacks the theory that accompanies Eastern acupuncture. 

The second difference is related to the treatment time. Acupuncture is a procedure during which needles are placed in the body for up to 90 minutes, whereas in dry needling the needles are removed after a few minutes or so.

The last difference relates to perioperative issues. An acupuncture treatment is usually combined with phytotherapy and dietary recommendations from Chinese medicine, whereas dry needling is part of physiotherapy - we often combine it with manual therapy, muscle-fascia therapy and, at Fizjo&Well, also with psychodietetic recommendations.

Does dry needling have any similarities with acupuncture?

Yes. Many of the points we 'needlepoint' are taken from acupuncture. We work with the same needles used by acupuncturists, and we also give you dietary and therapeutic recommendations from alternative therapies.

What does a dry needling treatment look like?

Before inserting the needle, the physiotherapist palpates the tissues in order to find the painful point that disturbs the biomechanics of movement or is one of the points generating or perpetuating the pain. The physiotherapist then disinfects the patient's skin, and disinfects his or her hands and provides disposable gloves. After the several seconds necessary for proper skin disinfection, the needles are inserted into specific points on the Patient's body. Then, depending on the treatment area, the needle is manipulated into the Patient's body, which may cause a sensation of spreading or spreading heat in the body.

Does inserting needles hurt? 

The insertion of acupuncture needles (because such needles are used for both acupuncture and dry needling) into the patient's body does not hurt any more than the sting of a mosquito. The question of pain after the treatment is slightly different. Sometimes the puncture site is sensitive and sore (bruise-like pain) for up to 72h. However, in our experience, if certain techniques are performed on the soft tissues prior to the needle therapy procedure, the pain sensations are significantly reduced or occur for a very short period of time.

Are the needles used for the procedure sterile and disposable? 

Of course. The needles are packaged sterile and are disposable. After the procedure they are disposed of in medical waste containers. In our Ursynów office we use needles made by SOMA Dry Needling and also needles made by Dong Bang. We have needles of various thicknesses and lengths, which allows us to precisely select a needle for each area of the body and the patient. 

Are the needles inserted deeply?

There are two forms of needling in terms of depth of application: superficial and deep. In the superficial method, the needle is inserted at the so-called musculo-fascial trigger point projection, penetrating to the depth of the subcutaneous tissue, i.e. shallowly, without reaching the muscle belly. The deep (intramuscular) technique involves inserting the needle into the muscle belly in order to elicit a local twitch response and a clear feeling of contraction and provoke discomfort in the patient. In the second technique, the needle can be applied up to several centimetres. It all depends on the location and what we want to achieve during the procedure.  

How many treatments are needed for dry needling to be effective? 

Often, the patient already feels a marked improvement after the first treatment. However, it is advisable to carry out several treatment sessions of the area in question, preferably in combination with other therapeutic techniques.

Dry needling is part of your physiotherapy visit, come to Physjo&Well!

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