Our services
Dry Needling
Reviewed by Andrew Macdonald, Senior Physiotherapist — AHPRA registered, APA member
What is Dry Needling?
Dry needling involves inserting thin, sterile, single-use needles into specific trigger points — tight, irritable bands within a muscle — to release tension and reduce pain. It’s based on Western anatomical and neurophysiological principles, targeting the specific muscle causing your symptoms, rather than the meridian system used in Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture.
What It Helps With
Dry needling is commonly used alongside manual therapy for muscle tightness and trigger points contributing to back and neck pain, headaches, shoulder and elbow conditions, and sports injuries. It’s particularly effective for releasing deep muscle tension that’s difficult to reach with soft tissue work alone.
What to Expect
You may feel a small pinprick as the needle is inserted, and often a brief, distinctive muscle “twitch” response as the trigger point releases — this is a normal and often positive sign. Mild soreness for a day or so afterward, similar to post-exercise muscle soreness, is common and settles quickly.
Who it helps
Conditions we treat with dry needling
SciaticaSciatica is the name given to pain, numbness or weakness in the areas that are supplied by the sciatic nerve, these include the hip, buttock, thigh, calf...
Low Back PainBack Pain is extremely common with most people experiencing back pain at some point in their life. Back ache is often linked to a sedentary lifestyle...
Neck PainNeck pain is one of the most common conditions physiotherapists treat, often driven by posture, desk work and stress. Physiotherapy treatment combines manual therapy, dry needling and a tailored exercise programme.
Headaches & MigrainesCan Physiotherapy Treat Headaches? Nearly everyone suffers from occasional headaches. However, before looking to drugs for reducing the pain associated...
Chronic Fatigue & FibromyalgiaFibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome cause widespread pain and persistent exhaustion. Physiotherapy helps manage symptoms with a carefully paced exercise programme and hands-on treatment.
Temporal Mandibular Joint (TMJ) DysfunctionTMJ dysfunction causes jaw pain, clicking and headaches, often linked to teeth grinding, stress or the neck. Physiotherapy treatment combines manual therapy, dry needling and lifestyle changes.
Frozen ShoulderFrozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) causes progressive stiffness and pain that can take months to resolve on its own. Physiotherapy can ease pain and speed recovery of movement at every stage.
Rotator Cuff InjuryRotator cuff injuries range from mild tendinopathy to a full tear, causing shoulder pain and weakness. Physiotherapy assessment determines the right treatment path, surgical or non-surgical.
Tennis Elbow & Golfer's ElbowTennis elbow and golfer's elbow are overuse tendon injuries causing pain on the outside or inside of the elbow. Physiotherapy treatment addresses both pain and the underlying cause.
Plantar FasciitisPlantar fasciitis causes sharp heel pain, often worst with the first steps in the morning. Physiotherapy treatment combines hands-on therapy, taping, and exercises to resolve it and stop it recurring.Frequently asked questions
Is dry needling the same as acupuncture?
No. Dry needling is a Western medical technique that targets specific muscle trigger points based on anatomy, while traditional acupuncture is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine's meridian system. Both use thin needles, but the reasoning and technique behind where they're placed is different.
Does dry needling hurt?
You'll typically feel a small pinprick on insertion, and often a brief muscle twitch as the trigger point releases, which can feel like a quick cramp. It's generally well tolerated, and mild soreness afterward — similar to post-exercise muscle soreness — is normal and usually settles within a day or two.
What conditions is dry needling used for?
Andrew commonly uses dry needling for muscle tightness and trigger points contributing to back and neck pain, headaches, shoulder and elbow conditions like tennis elbow, and sports injuries — usually alongside manual therapy and an exercise programme.
How many dry needling sessions do I need?
Some people feel a noticeable release after a single session, but for a lasting result it's usually combined with other treatment over a course of sessions. Andrew will factor this into your overall treatment plan based on your specific condition.
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