What is Dry Needling

Dry needling is a technique where a very fine, sterile needle (the same type used in acupuncture) is inserted into a tight, tender spot in a muscle, often called a trigger point. Once the needle is in, your practitioner will either hold it in place or gently move it to bring on a small involuntary muscle twitch. "Dry" simply means no medication or fluid is injected. The needle itself does the work.

How does it work?

Dry needling is thought to help the body in a few different ways.

At the muscle level, the needle reaches the trigger point and creates that involuntary twitch. This twitch disrupts the tightly wound muscle fibres, reduces the chemicals in the area that produce pain, and encourages the release of your body's natural pain relievers (endorphins). Blood flow to the area also improves.

The needle also sends a signal up through your spinal cord to your brain, switching on your nervous system's natural pain-gating mechanism. Think of it like your brain receiving that signal and turning the volume down on your pain, then sending that message back down to the area being treated.

On top of this, dry needling can desensitise the local area and help your nervous system shift out of a stressed state and into a more reparative one.

What does the evidence say?

Recent reviews of the research show dry needling is more effective than no treatment, or a sham (fake) treatment, for short-term pain relief across a range of muscle and joint conditions. Some condition-specific findings:

Neck and shoulder pain: Improvements in pain and disability confirmed across multiple reviews, after both single and multiple sessions.

Knee osteoarthritis and pain around the kneecap: Significant short-term pain reduction compared to sham treatment.

Low back pain: Beneficial, particularly when combined with other physiotherapy.

Sports injuries: A growing evidence base supporting its use in athletes.

Dry needling performs about as well as other hands-on techniques. One limitation identified in the research is a lack of evidence for benefits beyond three months post-injury. This is why we generally pair it with other treatment such as therapeutic exercise and lifestyle changes, rather than using it on its own, to help you get a more lasting result.

How is it different from acupuncture?

Both use the same fine needles, but they come from different traditions.

Dry needling is grounded in Western medicine. The needle is inserted, superficially or more deeply, directly into the muscle causing the problem.

Acupuncture is grounded in Chinese, Korean and Japanese medicine and works from meridian theory: points mapped across the body along specific lines, with needle placement based on those points. Acupuncture can also target tender "ashi" points that sit outside the mapped points, which looks a lot like dry needling in practice.

When might dry needling help?

Dry needling may be useful as part of treatment for:

Sporting injuries

Neck and back pain

Headaches

Sciatica

Knee arthritis and pain around the kneecap

Shin splints

Rotator cuff tears

Tennis or golfer's elbow

When it's not the right time

Dry needling isn't suitable if you:

Are in your first trimester, or have a high-risk pregnancy

Have an active infection

Have an open wound or a tumour at the treatment site

Certain situations call for a longer conversation about risks and benefits before going ahead. Let your practitioner know if you have a history of lymphoedema (a swelling condition affecting your lymphatic system), are on blood thinners, have a bleeding disorder, or feel anxious around needles.

What to expect

Dry needling is generally pain-free, though you may feel a slight prick as the needle goes in, and a twitch in the muscle as it's re-positioned. Afterwards, it's common to feel muscle soreness for 24–48 hours - similar to how may feel after a solid gym session, and some light bruising can occur.

Most of the balance health team are trained in dry needling. Myotherapist Nicole Murphy, and Physiotherapists Sandeep, Anna and Tim are your go-to's. Senior Physiotherapist Kristine Miles is our sole practitioner trained in musculoskeletal acupuncture.

What to do next

If you think dry needling could help with what you're dealing with, mention it to your practitioner at your next appointment, or book in with one of the team https://www.balance-health.com.au/bookonline

This article is for general education only and is not a substitute for personalised medical advice.

References

Gattie, E., Cleland, J. A., & Snodgrass, S. (2017). The effectiveness of trigger point dry needling for musculoskeletal conditions by physical therapists: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 47(3), 133–149.

Kużdżał, A., Trybulski, R., Muracki, J., Klich, S., Clemente, F. M., & Kawczyński, A. (2025). Dry needling in sports and sport recovery: A systematic review with an evidence gap map. Sports Medicine, 55(4), 811–844. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-025-02175-9

Alhakami, A. M., Sahely, A., & Alshami, A. M. Y. (2025). Deep versus superficial dry needling for neck pain: A systematic review of randomised clinical trials. Medicina, 61(10), 1832. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina61101832

Hu, X., Lei, T., Liu, Z., Xu, Z., & Zhu, G. (2026). The effectiveness of dry needling at myofascial trigger points for knee disorders: A quantitative synthesis of randomized controlled trials. PLOS ONE, 21(4), Article e0346129. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0346129