Dry Needling
What is Dry Needling?
Dry needling is a precise, evidence-based therapy that uses thin filiform needles to release myofascial trigger points — tight, irritable knots within muscles that refer pain and restrict movement. By deactivating these trigger points, we reduce muscle tension, improve blood flow, and stimulate your body's natural pain-relief mechanisms.
How Dry Needling Works
Myofascial trigger points are hyperirritable spots within taut bands of muscle. These knots develop from injury, overuse, poor posture, or stress, and they can refer pain to other parts of the body — a trigger point in your shoulder may cause headaches, or one in your glute may send pain down your leg.
During dry needling, we insert a very thin, solid needle directly into the trigger point. This provokes a local twitch response — a brief, involuntary contraction of the muscle. This twitch is the muscle releasing its sustained contraction, restoring normal blood flow and breaking the pain cycle.
The needles used are sterile, single-use, and much thinner than injection needles. No medication is injected — hence the term “dry” needling.
Conditions We Treat with Dry Needling
Dry needling is effective for a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions:
- Chronic neck and back pain — particularly when muscular trigger points are a contributing factor
- Tension headaches and migraines — often driven by trigger points in the neck and shoulder muscles
- Sports injuries — muscle strains, overuse injuries, and persistent tightness that limits performance
- Sciatica-like symptoms — when trigger points in the glutes or piriformis mimic nerve pain
- Jaw pain (TMJ) — trigger points in the jaw and facial muscles
Dry needling works especially well alongside other treatments. We frequently combine it with Sports Massage or Spinal Decompression for a comprehensive approach.
What to Expect During Treatment
Your session begins with a focused assessment to locate active trigger points. We’ll palpate the affected muscles and identify the specific points causing your symptoms.
Once identified, the needles are inserted precisely into each trigger point. You may feel the local twitch response — a brief, involuntary muscle contraction. This is a positive sign that the trigger point is deactivating. The needles remain in place for a short period before being removed.
After treatment, we’ll provide aftercare guidance and may recommend gentle stretching or heat application to maximise the treatment’s benefit.
Dry Needling vs Acupuncture
This is one of the most common questions we hear. While both therapies use thin needles, the similarities largely end there:
- Dry needling is rooted in Western anatomy and musculoskeletal science. Needles target specific trigger points identified through physical examination. The goal is to release muscular tension and restore normal function.
- Acupuncture is based on traditional Chinese medicine and aims to balance the flow of energy (qi) through the body along meridian pathways.
At Costa Blanca Movement Centre, our dry needling approach is always guided by a thorough Postural Assessment and clinical reasoning — ensuring we treat the cause, not just the symptoms.