Dry Needling for Lasting Pain Relief
Dry Needling (also known as intramuscular stimulation or medical acupuncture) is a therapy that utilizes very short, thin, stainless steel needles inserted into hypertonic (spasmed) muscle fibers and/or trigger point areas.
Trigger points are localized areas of spasm that are often 1-3cm in diameter that can be painful to pressure. This pain in the trigger points can often “refer” to other areas of the body.
Dry needling has been shown to relax tight muscles, improve blood flow, decreased pain and increased release of neurotransmitters. It helps with increased range of motion.
This can be used to take care of chronic (longer term) or acute (injuries, condition that transpired recently) musculoskeletal issues.
Will It hurt?
In certain areas where muscles are more superficial (closer to the skin) or in areas that have increased inflammation, there may be a slight, TEMPORARY discomfort with insertion. To be clear, pain almost always goes off in less than a second. If it doesn’t, the needle is removed. Almost every insertion patients do not feel any sensation at all.
There may also be a “twitch response” which is one way to know that the trigger point is being isolated. This may produce a dull ache or brief shock sensation.
Is It Safe? Any Side Effects?
Dry needling is appropriate for nearly all patients. People who have a significant needle phobia or other anxiety about being treated with needles may still be okay with therapy if area is not visualized.
Like any type of therapy, dry needling may deliver unintended side effects, such as pain at the stop of needle insertion, muscle soreness, fatigue and bruising. In the hands of a skilled therapist, dry needling is a safe and effective therapy option and the patient will most often see benefits in range of motion and joint use right away.
Caution is warranted with younger patients; strictly based on empirical evidence, dry needling is not recommended for children younger than 12 years of age. If a child is undergoing dry needling, parent and child’s consent is needed and the child should fully understand the procedure before therapy begins.
How Long Will It Take?
Each session is either 10-15 minutes (usually if used in conjuction with other forms of therapy) or upwards of 20-30 minutes if multiple areas needed. Usually less session on a given day is preferred to over stimulating a patient with too many areas.
It’s normal that it may take several dry needling therapy sessions before maximum function in the muscle or maximum relief is restored (maximum function/relief is dependent on each individual). This is because trigger points are located under deep layers of muscles, so it typically takes several sessions for the changes to take full effect. In general, patients will notice a difference usually after the first visit.
Frequently
Asked
Questions
Some of the most commonly asked questions about Chiropractic are answered by Advanced Pain Centres.
This is something we will assess in the initial consultation at Advanced Pain Centres. You may look over our Google reviews for our Toa Payoh and Jurong East locations and see if you can notice if a person with your same symptoms/condition has been helped from our centres.
We will do our best to always make sure that we help you understand your condition fully so that you can make an informed decision when it comes to your specific health condition and goals.
You do not need a referral to visit Advanced Pain Centres, but we are more than happy to work with any of your medical and health care professionals to ensure a seamless journey towards better health. We receive referrals from medical doctors, Tai Chi masters, TCMs and other health professionals.
Often times yes! With the special equipment at Advanced Pain Centres designed exactly for this condition we can target the area and often alleviate pain and help the disc tissue to heal.
Many of our patients are able to avoid surgical procedures when undergoing care in our centres.
There are many types of injuries that can occur to the spine. By far the most common issues we see at Advanced Pain Centres stem from some form of degenerative change. This can also be called arthritis or degenerative joint disease. A very common problem to happen to the spine as it absorbs a lot of stress on a daily basis. Gravity and body weight play a role in this as does previous injuries, poor posture over a long period of time and even things like having flat feet.
The tough part about this condition is that usually it goes undetected for years and can often times not exhibit many symptoms until it reaches a later stage.
At Advanced Pain Centres, the consultation fees are standard.
The initial assessment fee includes one therapy*.
(*We can only administer therapy if we find we can help. Images may be required to assess this. If we cannot do therapy then only a
consultation charge will apply).
This is $65 SGD when you pre-pay online or $95 SGD if you choose to pay in clinic.
*By “therapy” we mean: manual therapy and any necessary adjunct therapy, e.g. electrical stimulation, near infra-red light therapy and/or spinal decompression *all depending on condition).
We also have discounted prepaid therapy plan options or pay-per-visit when considering further care that may be needed.
At this time there is no claim possible with CPF.
Other insurances can have some coverage. Please enquire with your insurance agent if you have any doubts. If the condition is because of an accident or injury, it is possible that there is some coverage with your current accident plan if applicable.
At Advanced Pain Centres, we do our best to give as much therapy as we can safely give on the first visit for your specific condition. Depending on the person and condition, an x-ray or other types of tests/imaging my be needed in order to safely and effectively administer therapy.
Most patients do receive therapy on the first visit.
