Musculoskeletal Dry Needling BRISBANE
Got Muscle Pain? Discover Dry Needling Treatment with a Trusted Physical Therapist!
Dry needling treatment is an effective form of physical therapy used to treat myofascial trigger points throughout muscles (or in simpler terms, a technique used to stimulate blood flow and enhance your body’s natural healing response and provide pain relief).
It works by inserting a sterile, fine needle (similar to an acupuncture needle) into the affected connective tissue. The hypersensitive area of the muscle fibre will elicit a “twitch response,” helping the tight muscles relax and reset the involved area.
The needle may then be left in for a longer period of time to stimulate blood flow to the area and enhance the body's natural healing response during your dry needling session.
What are the benefits of Dry Needling treatment?
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Increase range of motion.
Joints can have their range of movement limited by tight restrictive muscles, causing pressure and musculoskeletal pain. Dry needling work, a form of manual therapy and physical therapy, relaxes these tissues, letting joints move freely. By doing this, the body is in an optimal range again, helping you perform more efficiently and safely.
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Increase your strength.
When a tissue is hypertonic, tight and contracted, it is unable to perform its role to 100% function. By relieving the myofascial trigger point stress on a tight muscle using trigger point dry needling, the muscle will have greater ability to contract without putting pressure on the tendons, giving you more control and power during training or day-to-day activities.
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Speed up recovery.
Trigger points develop in a muscle from lack of blood supply and oxygen given to the soft tissues when overcontracted. This can occur in sustained poor postures or from exercise overuse. Needle therapy increases blood supply to the tissues, quickly relaxing muscle tension and helping you feel back to normal fast.
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Prevent injury.
Through training or postural demands, the body can develop tightness and trigger points which limit movement and performance, leading to compensations and excessive demands at certain tissues. This cycle contributes significantly to injuries. Dry needling technique involving precise needle insertion into affected areas can break this pattern and restore optimal body function.
What injuries is dry needling effective for?
Headaches
Disc pain
Lower back pain
Tennis/golfers elbow
Achilles pain
Tendinitis
Bursitis
Chronic pain
Neck pain
Rotator cuff injury
Tight hip flexors
Piriformis syndrome
Postural pain
Knee pain
Shoulder pain
How It Works
Dry needling treatment involves inserting a fine needle, similar to one used in traditional acupuncture, into tight or dysfunctional muscles to stimulate healing and restore function. The needle insertion triggers a response that releases muscle tension, improves blood flow, and provides pain relief.
This needle therapy technique works by targeting myofascial trigger points—specific areas of muscle tightness that can cause muscular pain, low back pain, and restrict movement. By stimulating these points, dry needling work helps reset muscle activity, allowing muscles to relax and function properly again.
We’re constantly improving so you can improve too.
Our physical therapists follow weekly team training sessions as well as ongoing development to upskill and ensure patients achieve the best results.
They have all completed a dry needling course and use this needle therapy extensively throughout their day-to-day treatments. We know exactly when and how to use dry needling technique and dry needling treatment effectively, with as little discomfort for you as possible. (In fact, it often feels amazing!)
WE WANT YOU TO LIVE PAIN-FREE.
Life’s too short to be uncomfortable. Whether you're battling muscular pain, low back pain, or ongoing musculoskeletal pain, our dry needling treatment can help. Book a dry needling session with our physical therapy experts today and start getting back to doing what you love.
Musculoskeletal Dry Needling FAQ
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Dry needling uses a fine needle and is based on musculoskeletal science, targeting muscle trigger points to relieve muscular pain. In contrast, traditional acupuncture is rooted in Chinese medicine and focuses on restoring energy flow (Qi) throughout the body.
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Most people experience minimal discomfort during dry needling treatment. A twitch response or mild soreness can occur as the muscle releases tension after the needle insertion, but it typically resolves quickly.
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The number of dry needling sessions depends on the severity and nature of your condition. Some people feel relief after just one session, while others may benefit from multiple treatments combined with manual therapy for long-term recovery.
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Yes, dry needling is a safe and effective needle therapy technique when performed by a trained physical therapist. It’s commonly used to relieve muscular pain, tight muscles, and support better movement.
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Some mild muscular soreness after a dry needling session is normal, similar to post-exercise fatigue. This usually resolves within a day or two as your body heals and adapts.
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Absolutely. Dry needling is often combined with physical therapy techniques like massage, corrective exercises, and manual therapy to enhance recovery and improve long-term outcomes.
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Trigger point dry needling focuses specifically on inserting a fine needle into hypersensitive muscle areas to release tension, improve blood flow, and provide rapid pain relief.
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Yes, joint manipulation improves alignment and reduces muscular imbalances, which supports better posture and relieves unnecessary strain on the spine and connective tissue.
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Joint manipulation involves a quick, controlled movement to restore mobility, while joint mobilisation uses slower, gentler techniques to gradually improve movement in stiff joints. Both can complement dry needling for optimal results.