Medical Acupuncture-Dry Needling

Medical acupuncture is a therapeutic technique inserting sterile needles of a fine gauge into certain points through the skin on the body to encourage pain relief and healing.  It is also known as “western acupuncture” because it differs from that of Chinese in that it doesn’t strictly adhere to the philosophy behind it.  Some of the points can be part of a meridian, and sometimes the needle can be inserted directly into the point where the tissue is tender. 

It is an evidence based practice that follows a diagnosis and can be used to treat a wide range of health conditions but most commonly musculoskeletal pain.

What to Expect on Your First Treatment?

A few needles can be inserted at a time and will be moved manually every so often to help stimulate the brain’s natural pain killer system, also called the Diffuse Noxious Inhibitory Controls (DNIC). This is our natural pain modulating system that includes endorphins, seratonin and enkephalins to help relieve pain. The size of the needle used will depend on the area that is being treated. Larger needles are typically used for larger muscle groups whereas smaller needles can be used in more delicate areas like the face and for smaller muscles.

Some people respond well to acupuncture, whereas some people may not feel any significant change. Results can differ depending on your experience with acupuncture before or your experience with needles in general. The sensation of the needle being inserted may not be felt at all or it can be unusual sensation, but typically not painful. Overall, most people find the experience relaxing, despite maybe not finding any change with their original condition.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) currently recommends acupuncture as a treatment for chronic tension-type headaches and migraines.
Other conditions commonly treated by acupuncture, though not officially recognised by NICE, include:

– chronic pain, such as neck pain
– joint pain
– dental pain
– postoperative pain

Research has also shown that acupuncture is effective in treating chronic low back pain and osteoarthritis of the knee.

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