DRY NEEDLING
“Needling” or Dry Needling had become quite popular as a technique for treating a range of musculoskeletal conditions, including neck and back pain, 'tennis elbow', ITB (Runners knee) and Achilles Tendinopathies. (it uses the same needle as in acupuncture, but the technique itself is not acupuncture.)
Treatment involves the insertion of solid, filament needles, as is used in the practice of acupuncture, usually in or around Myofascial Trigger Points. Myofascial Trigger Points have been described as a "hyper-irritable spot within a skeletal muscle". Myofascial Trigger Points are points in muscles which are painful when pushed. Trigger points can refer pain and create dysfunction elsewhere in the body.
Needling commonly involves insertion into trigger points using acupuncture needles to deactivate and help resolve trigger points. However, myofascial trigger point needling alone has limitations to its application, as only needling the site of irritation will not resolve the dysfunction and restriction demonstrated so it is used as an adjunctive to chiropractic adjustment.