Q & A with Merryn
If this article is of interest to you book a dry needling appointment online with Merryn!
How does dry needling work?
Merryn: Dry Needling is an effective way to eliminate trigger points in taut muscle bands found in many acute and chronic injuries or pain syndromes. Typically the needle is inserted into the taut band within the muscle until a “twitch response” is achieved. There is then a reflex relaxation and lengthening of the muscle and trigger point.
How is dry needling different to acupuncture?
Merryn: Dry needling differs from Traditional Chinese Acupuncture. Where Acupuncture focuses on targeting “meridians”, Dry Needling is anatomically based, and used to penetrate the injured tissue directly. While both forms will provide pain relief, Dry Needling is aiming to restore normal tissue function.
Does dry needling help with performance?
Merryn: Yes, dry needling can not only reduce pain and improve quality of life but it can also significantly help performance by improving joint range of motion and muscle recruitment. Research has shown that one bout of dry needling had an immediate effect at significantly increasing vertical jump height in healthy, young adults (Bandy et al. 2017).
Is dry needling good for muscle recovery?
Merryn: I use dry needling for recovery purpose in athletes wanting to train and recover efficiently. It potentially allows the elimination of latent trigger points to reduce muscle fatigue and prevent overload within the muscle. Theoretically by releasing the latent trigger point points that may cause muscular weakness and fatigue the athlete can train quicker, harder and longer.
How many sessions of dry needling will I need for results?
Merryn: Results from dry needling will occur after 1 session however usually 2-3 sessions will give significant results and longer lasting improvements.
Should you rest after receiving dry needling?
Merryn: Generally you will not need to do anything after treatment. Simply drink plenty of water and get a solid night of sleep. If you have post-treatment soreness you can use ice on the area. Exercise after dry needling is ok if you feel you can however walking or any gentle movement to promote blood circulation is the best post treatment recovery.