What is dry needling in Myotherapy?

Dry needling in myotherapy is where an experienced and specially trained therapist will insert a fine ( same diameter as a strand of hair) sterile needle into tight, taught muscle fibers (trigger points) that are causing muscular pain and pain referral. The purpose of this is to deactivate them by using the bodies innate ability to fight a foreign object in the body and access the neural pain pathway to the brain, thus blocking the pain messages to the brain.
It is an excellent way to treat muscular pain and is highly effective if administrated correctly. However, it is not for everybody and there are many contra-indicators explaining this. Some example of these contraindications are:
• Needle Phobia
• High blood pressure
• Pregnancy (pending of what trimester and what muscular condition needs to be treated)
• Infection/colds and flu
• Open wounds
Things to expect when experiencing dry needling are a twitch or spasm in the muscle fiber itself. These are painless (although can be a startle), and is a great signal the needle is doing its job by bypassing neural circuitry, thus blocking pain. Twitches don’t always occur, and this is okay too. You may feel a slight sting upon insertion, but generally, most clients won’t feel this; which is highly dependant on the skill used by the practitioner.
Due to the neurocircuitry activation and the body’s natural response to ‘cleaning up the area where the needle is inserted, clients will often feel a sense of relaxation during the treatment.
After a dry needling treatment, it is common to feel a heaviness in the limb that was treated. You may also feel generally tired due to the body continuing its process to clean up. If this is the case, do take some time to rest and allow the process to continue; support this further by drinking plenty of fluids.
I have a policy that my first-time clients for myotherapy sessions won’t receive dry needling. This is because I want my hands to know your muscles and for you to get to know the way I do my hands-on myotherapy treatment. This will give me a lot of information, and I can often get a sense from here if dry needling is needed in your treatment plan. If you do need dry needling, you will be advised well in advance and can decide for yourself if this is something you would like to implement.