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Home > Services > Dry Needling
💉 Dry Needling
Release the tension.
Restore movement.
Dry needling is one of the most effective tools we have for releasing stubborn muscle tension, reducing pain, and getting stiff, painful tissue moving again — often in a single session.
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Used by multiple therapists across the team
Always combined with exercise & manual therapy
Thin sterile stainless steel needles
Targets myofascial trigger points directly
Typically 15–20 mins within a 40-min session
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No referral needed to book
Tell us if you're needle-phobic — we'll plan accordingly
Minor muscle soreness for 24–48hrs is normal
Not the same as acupuncture
40min
Standard session length
No
Referral needed
Multi
Therapists trained
1st
Session guarantee
HICAPS
On-site instant claiming
WHAT IS DRY NEEDLING?
Not acupuncture.
Here's the difference.
Dry needling uses thin, sterile stainless steel needles — the same type used in acupuncture — but the philosophy and target are completely different. While acupuncture is based on traditional Chinese medicine and energy meridians, dry needling is a western, evidence-based clinical technique that targets specific muscle tissue.
The needle is inserted directly into a myofascial trigger point — a hypersensitive knot within a muscle that causes local pain and can refer pain elsewhere. The needle provokes a local twitch response: an involuntary contraction of the muscle fibres that breaks the pain-spasm cycle, increases blood flow, and allows the muscle to release.
At SPP, dry needling is never used in isolation. It's always part of a broader treatment plan that includes exercise, manual therapy, and education — because releasing a trigger point is only step one.
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WHO IS DRY NEEDLING FOR?
When to consider
dry needling.
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Stubborn Muscle Tightness
When stretching, massage, and manual therapy haven't shifted tight, restricted muscle tissue — dry needling can often create the release that other approaches can't.
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Back & Neck Pain
Muscle spasm and trigger points are a major driver of both acute and chronic back and neck pain. Dry needling addresses the muscle tissue directly for faster pain relief and improved range of motion.
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Headaches & Migraines
Many tension-type headaches originate from trigger points in the upper trapezius, suboccipital, and cervical muscles. Dry needling these areas can significantly reduce headache frequency and intensity.
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Shoulder Pain
Rotator cuff irritation, bursitis, and impingement often involve significant muscle guarding. Dry needling reduces the muscular component quickly, allowing other treatments to work more effectively.
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Knee, Hip & Leg Pain
From plantar fasciitis to ITB syndrome, Achilles tendinopathy to hip bursitis — the muscular component of lower limb pain responds extremely well to dry needling.
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Sports Injuries & Recovery
Athletes use dry needling to accelerate soft tissue recovery, reduce delayed onset muscle soreness, and manage the overuse injuries that come with high training loads.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Your first dry needling
session.
01
Assessment First
Your physio takes a history and assesses the relevant area before any needles are involved. Dry needling is always part of a broader assessment — we need to understand the full picture before deciding where to needle.
02
What the Needle Feels Like
Insertion is usually painless or a very mild prick. When the needle reaches a trigger point, you'll typically feel a deep ache or twitch sensation — this is the local twitch response and is a good sign. It passes quickly. Most patients are surprised by how tolerable it is.
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During the Session
Needles are typically left in for a few minutes. Your physio may gently manipulate the needle to maintain the therapeutic effect. You'll usually feel the target muscle relax and the referred sensation ease during this time.
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After the Needles
The rest of the session will include manual therapy, exercise, or other treatment techniques. Dry needling is the start of the session, not the whole session.
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Post-Session Soreness
It's normal to feel some muscle soreness in the treated area for 24–48 hours afterwards — similar to the ache after a heavy workout. This settles on its own. Most patients notice meaningful improvement in pain and range of motion within 24 hours.
CONDITIONS DRY NEEDLING TREATS
Where it works
best.
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Headaches & Migraines
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Back Pain & Muscle Spasm
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Neck Pain & Stiffness
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Shoulder & Rotator Cuff
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Tennis & Golfer's Elbow
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Carpal Tunnel & De Quervain's
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Hip Bursitis & Tendinopathy
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Knee Pain & OA Management
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Plantar Fasciitis
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Achilles Tendinopathy
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ITB Syndrome
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Myofascial Pain Syndrome
PATIENT STORIES