Dry needling is a technique used by our AHPRA-registered physiotherapists to treat myofascial trigger points — those tight, painful knots that develop within muscles. Using fine, single-use filament needles, dry needling targets these trigger points to help release muscular tension, improve blood flow to the area, and may assist in reducing pain.

At The Health Phyx, dry needling is always performed as part of a comprehensive physiotherapy assessment. We do not use dry needling in isolation — it is one tool within a broader treatment approach that may also include manual therapy, exercise prescription, and education. This ensures that we are addressing the underlying cause of your symptoms, not just the trigger point itself.

The technique involves inserting a fine needle into the trigger point, which may produce a localised twitch response in the muscle. This twitch response is associated with the release of the taut band within the muscle and is generally considered a positive sign during treatment. Some people experience mild soreness in the treated area for 24–48 hours following a session, similar to post-exercise muscle soreness.

Dry needling is commonly used alongside other physiotherapy treatments for conditions such as neck and back pain, headaches, shoulder pain, tennis elbow, and hip tightness. Our physiotherapists will discuss whether dry needling is appropriate for your specific condition during your assessment.

It is important to note that dry needling is different from acupuncture. While both use fine needles, dry needling is based on Western medical principles and targets musculoskeletal trigger points, whereas acupuncture is based on traditional Chinese medicine meridian theory.