Deep dry needling (DDN) is a technique that both Laura and Nicolas practice at our clinic. It is where a solid, very fine needle is inserted into a soft tissue in the body in the treatment of pain and movement impairments. This technique uses a “dry” needle which is one without medication or injection, inserted through the skin into areas of the muscle. It should only ever carried out by highly trained practitioners.
What is involved in DDN?
DDN involves the use of sterile, single-use, disposable needles. Your physiotherapist will locate a trigger point and insert a needle. The trigger point is the taut band of skeletal muscle located within a much larger muscle group. We find them because they are often tender to the touch, and, very often, touching a trigger point may cause pain to other parts of the body. Once the needle is inserted, you will feel a localised spasm or a twitch in the muscle. The technique works to refer pain away from the trigger point or the needle may be ‘wound-up’ in the muscle to stretch the fibres. Many needles can be used at once during any session and each session may last between 5 and 20 minutes.
Research supports that DDN reduces muscle tension, improves pain control and normalises dysfunctions of the motor end plates (which are the sites at which nerve impulses are transmitted to muscles).