Neck & back pain
The ache that has been there for months, and the one that arrived overnight.
Read more about Neck & back painPhysiotherapy in Parktown North
Dry needling, as part of physiotherapy
Dry needling uses a very fine, sterile needle to treat painful, tight areas of muscle. Here it is one tool inside a physiotherapy treatment, chosen when the assessment says it will help, and always alongside the exercise that makes the change last.
Does this sound familiar
Where it is often used
- Tight, tender muscles in the neck and upper shoulders
- Tension headaches that start at the base of the skull
- Low back and buttock muscle pain
- Calf, hamstring and hip muscle tightness in runners
- Jaw and temple muscle tension linked to clenching
What happens
How this is treated
Every patient is different, but the shape of the work is consistent — and you will always be told what is happening and why.
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Step 1
Assessment first
Dry needling is not a standalone appointment. It is used only where the examination suggests a muscular component will respond.
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Step 2
Explained and agreed
What it involves, how it may feel and the small risks are explained, and it only happens with your consent. If you would rather not, there are other options.
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Step 3
Needling
Single-use sterile needles, usually for a short time per area. A brief twitch or ache is common and settles quickly.
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Step 4
Followed by movement
Needling tends to create a window of easier movement. That window is used for exercise, which is what makes the improvement hold.
Worth knowing
Is it the same as acupuncture?
The needles look similar, but the reasoning is different. Acupuncture comes from traditional Chinese medicine and uses meridians and points. Dry needling is based on Western anatomy and targets specific painful areas of muscle identified in a physical examination.
The research suggests dry needling can reduce pain in the short term for some musculoskeletal problems, particularly when combined with other physiotherapy treatment. The evidence is not strong enough to justify using it on its own, which is why it is not offered that way here.
Worth knowing
Is it safe?
In trained hands, serious complications are rare. Mild soreness or a small bruise for a day or two is common. Some areas need particular care — for example over the chest wall — and it is not used if you are on certain blood thinners, have a needle phobia, have a local infection, or in some stages of pregnancy. Tell Rikki about your medical history and medication before treatment.
Worth knowing
Do I have to have it?
No. It is offered when it is likely to help, and there is always another way to approach the same problem. Plenty of patients never have it at all.
Before you book
Questions patients ask about this
The needle itself is very fine and usually barely felt. When it reaches a tight area of muscle there may be a brief twitch or deep ache, which passes quickly. Some soreness afterwards for a day is normal.
It is part of a wider treatment rather than a course of its own, so it depends on the problem. Some patients have it once or twice; others not at all.
It is done within a physiotherapy consultation and claimed as part of that, subject to your own scheme’s rules. See the FAQ for medical aid questions.
Book a normal appointment. The assessment decides whether needling is the right tool, and the session will include whatever else the problem needs.
Also treated here
Related to this
TMJ, jaw & headaches
Headaches that start in your jaw, or in your neck.
Read more about TMJ, jaw & headachesNext step
Book an appointment
Book online at any hour, or send a WhatsApp if you would rather describe the problem first and be told honestly whether physiotherapy is the right call.
071 491 6759
12 7th Ave, Parktown North