Acupuncture & Dry Needling

Since the 1970s , western medical science has been researching a scientific explanation behind the effectiveness of acupuncture. They have found that there is a sound scientific basis for using acupuncture for pain relief and for assistance with musculo-skeletal pain. Acupuncture and dry needling are used at Advantage Healthcare as part of an overall Physiotherapy treatment program.

Acupuncture involves inserting sterile, solid stainless steel needles into the body at particular points to evoke a healing response from the body. It is widely used by doctors and physiotherapists to assist in healing and pain. While the full effects of acupuncture have not been scientifically explained, there is significant evidence to support it’s use in musculo-skeletal pain.

How Acupuncture works:
Acupuncture is effective in assisting with pain and healing due to it’s influence on the nerves, spinal cord and brain. Acupuncture gains this effect by stimulating parts of the brain that causes a release of pain relieving substances into the spinal cord. The chemicals that are released in the spinal cord are the same feel good chemicals that are released with vigorous exercise – opiods.
Acupuncture also stimulates a range of physiologocial effects in the tissues near the needle insertion point. These effects include:

• Improved circulation
• Muscle tissue relaxation
• Release of healing substances
• Release of pain relieving substances into the spinal cord
• Improved immune cell activity

What is Dry Needling
Dry needling is a form of acupuncture that has been used by Chinese Acupuncturists for a very long time I the form of ‘Ah-shi’ points. This form of needling has become more widespread in Western Medicine and has been validated by modern scientific research into trigger points (muscle knots).
Dry Needling involves inserting a needle (the same kind of needle used for Acupuncture) into the body and the needle is then moved back and forth through the tissues to effect a release of the muscle spasm.

Research has proven that trigger points occur due to a restriction of circulation that causes increased chemical concentration around the trigger point. Dry needling breaks up the muscle spasm around the trigger point, restores normal micro-circulation and decreases chemical irritant concentration. Most importantly, dry needling removes the pain of trigger points.