is a treatment technique whereby a sterile, single-use, fine filament needle (acupuncture needle) is inserted into the muscle to assist with decreasing pain and improving function through the release of myofascial trigger points (knots in muscle).

There are 6 levels used in dry needling to either ease in for comfort or treat directly to the trigger point for fast effective results.

1. Needle is inserted just below the skin to trigger an immune response. The body recognises the needle as a foreign invader and sends all of it’s soldiers to the forefront. Blood flow, lymphocytes and macrophages flood the area dissolving the knot.
2. Little deeper, similar effect just closer to the trigger point
3. Directly into the trigger point (usually a twitch on entry followed by an ache response)
4. Twisting the needles to bind up all the fibers (stronger ache, this should be all relevant to your pain)
5. Agitate – breaking the fibers in the locked position
6. Twitch response – eliciting the muscle to contract while the needle is in the trigger, breaking the fibers within the knot, blasting the taut band free

Sal has trained with 3 different providers, 6 different level certificates of dry needling with both western and eastern styles. The most in-depth and thorough was within a full 12 months under Teacher Zhang a reputable Traditional Chinese Medicine teacher of Myotherapy. So, I also gained insight into acupuncture’s Jin Jing (meridians of the sinew) to take my treatments even further.