Dry needling – treating pain with needles

In our private practice for physiotherapy, we use healing techniques to bring your body into balance in a natural way and free you from pain. Today we would like to introduce the application of Dry Needling to you.

Dry Needling is a form of trigger point therapy in which mainly myofascial points and fasciae are treated. Similar to Chinese acupuncture, Dry Needling uses sterile acupuncture needles to address trigger points in the muscle or musculoskeletal system to release tension and relieve pain. There are two forms of dry needling: intramuscular stimulation (IMS) and superficial dry needling.

In intramuscular stimulation, a sterile needle is inserted directly into the trigger point. This process initially triggers a tension reaction in the muscle, which is often perceived as beneficial. By placing the needles in the myofascial trigger point, the oxygen supply is stimulated and the blood flow in the affected muscle groups is improved. If the tense area shows inflammation or adhesions, these are inhibited by the dry needling application or disappear completely.

In the superficial treatment of pain in the musculoskeletal system, the dry needle is placed diagonally above the trigger point with a puncture depth of 3-4 mm under the skin. This is where the central nervous system comes into play. The superficial puncture triggers various mechanisms in the brain and spinal cord that contribute to pain relief and healing of the affected area.

Which Dry Needling technique is the right one for you depends on many factors, which we will clarify in advance in an anamnesis consultation.

Yours Michael Boettcher