When performed by a suitably trained and qualified individual such as a Myotherapist – dry needling is statistically very safe with few recorded negative outcomes. Specific Myotherapy training for dry needling is extensive – lasting between 3-12 months and involving hundreds of clinical hours.

Dry needling without electro can be very effective for many conditions including neck and shoulder tension, calf and hamstring spasm, glute pain, piriformis syndrome, forearm pain, hip flexor tension, TMD (tempro mandibular disorder) and tension headache. With the addition of electro (TENS) to the needle nerve conditions such as Morton’s neuroma, Bells Palsy, Sciatica,Trigeminal Neuralgia and cervical radiculopathy, carpal tunnel are easily managed.

Neck and shoulder tension, calf and hamstring spasm, glute pain, piriformis syndrome, hip flexor tension and tension headache. With the addition of electro (TENS) to the needle nerve conditions such as Morton’s neuroma, Bells Palsy, Sciatica,Trigeminal Neuralgia and cervical radiculopathy, carpal tunnel and forearm pain

This depends on the size of the patient and region being needled. Generally 15-20mm is sufficient unless you are trating a large muscle such as the hamstring or glute medius.

Your therapist will show you any appropriate stretches. Heat is good – so a few minutes with a warm wheatbag will assist the muscle relaxation through increased blood flow. Topical linaments such as tiger balm or physio crème are also helpful.

Not all dry needling will make you sore. Needling with the intention of provoking a twitch in the muscle will certainly make the muscle feel tight and mildly irritable for approximately 12 hours. Usually sleeping resolves this irritation unless there have been multiple twitches in the muscle – a good rule of thumb is three twitches.

The only similarity is the tools used – acupuncture needles. Acupuncture is a part of a complete medical tradition relating to the flow of energy through meridians in the body. Dry needling affect the nervous system is measurable ways.

Dry needling is safe during pregnancy. Studies have looked at the acupuncture points used to induce birth and found that these claims are unsubstantiated

Dry needling is evidence based – but not a magical intervention for everything – the conditions that we discuss have strong scientific support for the use of a needling intervention.