Dry Needling

About this service

Trigger points are small knots of contracted muscle that cause local pain and refer pain to other areas. Dry needling uses a very fine needle inserted directly into the point to release it. It is called "dry" because nothing is injected — the needle itself is the treatment.

Photos from the clinic

A look at the clinic and real treatment sessions

Conditions we treat

• Neck and shoulder muscle tension
• Trigger-point headaches
• Lower back muscle tightness
• Plantar fasciitis
• Thigh and calf tightness in athletes
• Chronic muscle pain unresponsive to massage

How treatment works

1. 1

   Locating the point

   The therapist palpates the muscle to find the trigger point precisely — accuracy here is the difference between a result and none.

2. 2

   Needle insertion

   A sterile single-use needle. You will often feel a brief muscle twitch, which is a positive sign the point has released.

3. 3

   Afterwards

   Mild soreness similar to post-exercise ache for a day or two is expected and settles on its own.

4. 4

   Following up with exercise

   A released muscle needs stretching and strengthening so it does not simply tighten again.

Frequently asked questions