Dry needling

DNT or dry needling technique

Dry needling (DN) is a treatment based on Western medicine using acupuncture needles. As the name implies, nothing is injected into the body and the treatment is based solely on the effect produced by the needle. The needles are thin, sterile, disposable needles packed in a protective gas.

Dry needling is used to treat trigger points (TrPs) in the soft tissue (myofascia). More superficial needling is used to treat symptoms such as arthralgia and areas of reflex pain. The treatment differs from Chinese acupuncture in that it treats acupoints on the meridians, or energy channels, according to Chinese medicine. Dry needling is therefore not an acupuncture treatment.

Trigger points (TrPs) are sensitive or painful points in the muscle that are felt in the superficial muscles as taut lines or pea-like points. Tight strands are muscle fibres that are constantly in a shortened state. This shortened state prevents the muscle from functioning as it should by impairing its metabolism locally.

Trigger points are usually activated by repetitive strain, stress, high blood pressure or, for example, by an acidified body. TrPs also develop in people suffering from chronic pain. Trigger points are characterised by reflex pain. This means that the point being treated may be surprisingly far away from the actual area of pain.