Dry Needling

Dry Needling

Dry Needling is a method used to relieve pain and treat muscle-related injuries. It is often used as one of the components of a more extensive physiotherapy treatment. On this page you can read more about this treatment method.

Wat is Dry Needling?

Dry needling is a physiotherapy technique that we use to relieve pain and treat muscle-related disorders. The treatment uses thin needles (similar to acupuncture needles) that are inserted directly into the trigger points (painful knots in the muscle). The goal of Dry Needling is to reduce muscle tension and restore muscle function. By inserting the needles into the trigger points, a reflex is elicited in the muscle, causing the muscle to relax and the pain to decrease.


Dry Needling specifically focuses on treating muscle knots and improving blood circulation in the muscles.

Benefits / added value of Dry Needling

Dry needling has many different benefits in treating muscle related conditions, including:


  • Pain relief
  • Improved muscle function
  • Accelerated recovery time for muscle injuries
  • Improved blood circulation to the muscles
  • Immediately noticeable effect, pain reduction
  • More flexible muscles
  • Improved strength and mobility
  • Deeper trigger points can also be reached
  • Long lasting result
  • Short treatment time


It is important to note that the effectiveness of the dry needling treatment may vary depending on the patient's situation and the condition.

Trigger points, what exactly are they?

Trigger points are 'muscle knots' that cause the muscle to shorten and not function properly. Every muscle consists of many small fibers and sometimes an adhesion/knot occurs here. This usually happens due to overload or an incorrect posture. This causes a muscle to have less blood flow and often causes stiffness, pain, and radiation.

Make an appointment for Dry Needling in Doetinchem

Would you like to make an appointment for a Dry Needling treatment right away? You can do this via the appointment page or call 0314-394222.

What does a Dry Needling treatment look like?

One of the great advantages of Dry Needling is that the treatment does not take long. With massage or manual trigger point massage it takes much more time to get the muscle into a relaxed state. With Dry Needling the therapist searches for the trigger points that cause or maintain the complaints. Then the therapist treats these trigger points with a very thin needle. When the needle touches the trigger point the muscle tenses briefly after which it relaxes. This process is repeated with small movements of the needle until the entire trigger point has disappeared.

Does Dry Needling hurt?

Usually no pain is experienced until the needle reaches the trigger point. The contraction of the muscle can be experienced as painful. However, this contraction is only of short duration while the effect is immediately noticeable and gives long-lasting results. However, muscle pain is often felt in the treated muscle group in the days after the treatment.

When can Dry Needling help / for which complaints is Dry Needling effective?

  • Muscle cramps
  • Radiating pain complaints caused by trigger points
  • Stress complaints
  • Headache
  • Sports injuries
  • Heel spur
  • Tennis elbow / epicondylitis

The difference between Dry Needling and Acupuncture

Dry Needling uses one or two needles to treat a muscle, while acupuncture often uses a whole series of needles that are placed more superficially in the body. The goal here is to stimulate nerve pathways and energy pathways. Also, with acupuncture the needle usually remains in place for some time. With Dry Needling the needle is removed immediately after the muscle has relaxed.


Dry Needling focuses on treating muscular problems, while acupuncture focuses on balancing energy flows in the body.

Combination with currents (so-called PENS therapy)

A very effective combination that is used here, is the so-called PENS therapy. A low current is then put on 2 needles. It is a refinement of ''regular'' Dry Needling alone, and has proven to be a very effective method, especially for certain types of headache complaints, attachments and also for nerve pain from the back / buttock / leg etc.

Side effects of Dry Needling

Dry Needling has no to few side effects. However, after the treatment, it can sometimes cause a heavy feeling or muscle pain in the treated muscle. Sometimes a bruise also occurs. Usually, these kinds of side effects disappear after two or three days.

Make an appointment for Dry Needling in Lo Crispin / Quesada

Would you like to make an appointment for a Dry Needling treatment right away? You can do this via the page make an appointment [or call us].

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