You might be wondering what dry needling is, how it compares to acupuncture, and whether it would be helpful for you. Well, we're going to talk about that and some of the conditions that dry needling would be helpful for.

At our center, we offer a variety of services to support your recovery, and one of the key techniques we use is dry needling.

We get a lot of questions about what dry needling is, why it’s called dry needling, and if it is acupuncture. We want to address that today.

It Is Not Acupuncture

First of all, it is not acupuncture. Acupuncture is practiced by trained acupuncturists, and they use the same monofilament needles to insert into the tissue of the body.

However, they choose very strategic points based upon Chinese medicine, often called acupoints.

Unlike a physical therapist who practices dry needling, the points that we choose are very specific to the anatomy and usually are located in and around the area of dysfunction or pathology.

Why It’s Called Dry Needling

The second reason it is called dry needling is to differentiate it from wet needling. Wet needling involves injections using hypodermic needles. If you’ve ever received an injection from a physician, dentist, physician assistant, or nurse, you’ve seen one of these needles—they are relatively thick and have a beveled edge.

The monofilament needles that we use—and these are always sterilized—we don't give injections as physical therapists, but we have these around because oftentimes medicine may be injected into an electrode. The monofilament needles we use for dry needling are very thin. When they say monofilament, it’s because it’s a solid needle, not like the hollow hypodermic needle.

You can actually insert the acupuncture needle, or the needle we use for dry needling, right into the hollow end of a hypodermic needle. It’s called dry needling to differentiate it from wet needling or injections, and also to differentiate it from acupuncture. Acupuncture treats many different conditions, and people have had great success with it, just like people have had great success with dry needling.

Training and Approach

Dry needling is often called intramuscular manual therapy by physical therapists. Physical therapists who practice dry needling all have training in anatomy, biomechanics, pathophysiology, physiology, and also training specifically in the safe insertion of needles to help with certain pathologies.

Conditions It Helps With

So, what can dry needling help with? It can help with shoulder tendinitis, back pain, headaches, plantar fasciitis, and osteoarthritis of the knee. It can be used for a wide array of musculoskeletal conditions, so it’s something to look into.

Not an Alternative Treatment

Dry needling is not an alternative treatment; it has been practiced for years, and there is a lot of research on how helpful it is to insert needles into the body. In fact, dry needling came about quite by accident. 

Physicians were injecting trigger points—those tender and tight points in a muscle—and found that sometimes just inserting the needle into that tender point was giving people relief, even without medicine. That discovery led to research confirming how helpful dry needling can be for musculoskeletal conditions.

Does It Hurt?

One of the big questions we get is, “Does dry needling hurt?” Well, not as much as you might think.

Unlike a hypodermic needle, which has a beveled edge that penetrates tissue and can cause bruising, dry needling rarely causes more than a small bruise or minimal bleeding that typically goes away within 10 to 20 seconds.

We use sterilized needles and gently tap them into the tissue. Some therapists and acupuncturists work the needle around several points, stimulating the tissue to help it heal.

Another method involves twisting the needle, which wraps the tissue around the needle and stimulates it—usually less painful than moving it around.

How It Works

How does dry needling work? The needle creates micro-trauma, which triggers circulation and a chemical response that helps with healing. It also stimulates the nervous system through the spinal cord to the brain, releasing chemicals that are pain inhibitory and anti-inflammatory. Several mechanisms have been well measured, showing how dry needling can help.

Is It Safe?

Is it safe? Yes, very safe. There are some areas near the lungs where therapists need to be careful, and there are major arteries and nerves to avoid.

Most of the time, the biggest side effect is minor bruising or a tiny bit of bleeding that lasts a few seconds. People often feel relaxed, and sometimes muscles feel weak afterward, which is a sign that the needles are working.

Part of a Comprehensive Plan

Dry needling is a safe adjunct to other therapies. Any therapist using dry needling will also perform a comprehensive evaluation, prescribe an exercise program, and possibly add stretching or manual therapy. It is always part of a comprehensive treatment plan and can help get you over the hump of chronic pain.

Ask Your Therapist

Curious if dry needling is right for you? Connect with our Revive Center expert therapists today for Dry needling in Kuwait and start your journey to relief.

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Sources & References

1. Travell, J., Simons, D. Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual. 2nd ed. 1999.

2. Fernández-de-las-Peñas, C., Dommerholt, J. Trigger Point Dry Needling: An Evidence and Clinical-Based Approach. 2018.

3. American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). Dry Needling Facts. https://www.apta.org.

4. Gattie, E., Cleland, J., Snodgrass, S. "Effectiveness of Dry Needling for Musculoskeletal Pain: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis." BMJ Open, 2017.

Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a licensed physiotherapist or healthcare provider before starting any treatment.