Dry Needling Therapy

Dry Needling Therapy and Muscle Function

Dry Needling Therapy is a targeted technique used in chiropractic care to address muscular tension, trigger points, and movement restrictions. It involves the gentle insertion of fine, sterile needles into specific points within a muscle (often areas of tightness or overactivity) to help release tension and promote normal muscle function.

Although it uses similar tools to acupuncture, dry needling is based on modern anatomical and neurophysiological principles rather than traditional Chinese medicine. The goal is to stimulate the muscle directly, causing a small, localised twitch response that helps reset its tone and relieve tightness. This response can improve blood flow, reduce sensitivity, and allow the muscle to move more freely.

Dry needling is often used as part of a broader chiropractic treatment plan for conditions involving muscle stiffness, postural strain, or sports-related tightness. By releasing deep trigger points that are difficult to reach through manual therapy alone, it can enhance the effects of other treatments such as adjustments, soft tissue therapy, and rehabilitation exercises.

During a session, your Our Chiro chiropractor will identify the affected muscles through assessment and palpation, then insert the needles briefly or for a short period depending on the area being treated. The procedure is typically well tolerated, with most people experiencing only mild, temporary sensations of pressure or twitching.

While dry needling is not intended to diagnose or cure medical conditions, it can play an important role in maintaining healthy muscle function and supporting recovery from strain. By reducing tightness and improving mobility, it helps restore balanced movement and contributes to overall musculoskeletal wellbeing when integrated with other forms of chiropractic care.

Video Transcript

One of the questions we often get at the clinic is: what is dry needling, and how does it work?

Dry needling is an umbrella term for any needling technique where nothing is injected into the skin or muscle. Acupuncture is one example, but in our clinic we perform musculoskeletal needling. This involves inserting a fine needle into a muscle to create a local reaction. The goal is to either inhibit or activate the muscle to produce a biomechanical response that promotes healing, improves function, and restores movement.

We use different needle lengths and thicknesses depending on the area being treated. It typically doesn’t hurt like people expect—it’s much gentler than something like a vaccination—and the needles are usually in for only a short time.

The results can be excellent. We often use one or several needles, depending on the condition. Dry needling works particularly well for issues such as frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis), tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, and irritation in muscles like the glutes, hamstrings, and calves. It’s a highly effective treatment for relieving muscle tension and improving recovery.