Acupuncture and Dry Needling in Physiotherapy
Does Acupuncture work?
Scientific trials have shown proven results using acupuncture for:- Low Back Pain
- Headaches and Migraines
- Osteoarthritis
- Neck Pain
Further trials have shown positive benefits of dry needling into muscular trigger points for:
- Tendinopathies (tendinitis, tendinosis)
- Carpal Tunnel
- Rotator Cuff Issues
In 12+ years of using dry needling and acupuncture as part of physio treatment, we have found it is extremely effective for a lot of other musculoskeletal issues, including:
- Tennis elbow
- Wrist issues
- Muscle/Joint stiffness
- Shoulder and Hip issues
- Pregnancy related pains (2nd-3rd Trimesters)
- Many other conditions
Can Physiotherapists do Acupuncture?
Our physiotherapists Matt Fagg, Keith Chapman, Lauren Castelijn, Caroline Morrissey and Russell Green are qualified in Dry Needling and "Western Acupuncture" and are very competent, having used various acupuncture and dry needling techniques on thousands of people.
What does dry needling feel like? Is it painful?
Dry Needling can be done painlessly, although often your physio might push the needles in deeper into muscles to get a stronger effect, and this often causes a sensation of pressure and sometimes muscle twitches which can be a bit painful. Your physiotherapist will choose which technique to use based on their assessment on the day and your personal preference. If you are worried about needles, let your physio know and they can make it a pain-free experience.The acupuncture needles we use range from 0.2 - 0.3mm diameter and from 30mm - 75mm long. There are no injections or chemicals associated with the practice of acupuncture or dry needling. It is possible to connect the needles to a small electrical current, however we don't currently use this technique as we get good enough results without it and find that the electrical current makes the experience less comfortable .
At Fix It Physiotherapy, we can do acupuncture and dry needling as part of a standard consultation at no extra cost.
