Dry needling is a procedure carried out at our Cairns podiatry surgery, with sterile one use acupuncture needles that are placed in muscle groups that are occupied by areas of muscle spasm and cramp called Myofascial trigger points. This advanced musculo-skeletal therapy requires specialist training. This is highly effective therapy. Because of its requirement for specialist training, you may not have heard of it before. Acupuncture tends to be more widely known. Dry needle therapy is carried out by musculo-skeletal trained specialists. Our Podiatrist Jeremy Hawke has received this training. Jeremy Hawke has over 17 years of experience treating Myofascial trigger points, with a reputation in trauma and accident rehabilitation and chronic pain management. Jeremy has also treated state, national and international athletes, sports people, and dancers.
Ask Yourself
Do you suffer from chronic ongoing lower limb pain?
If you have been suffering from chronic pain from the waist down, you will benefit from a chronic pain assessment at our Cairns podiatry surgery.
Are you having pain in the hip region, the buttock region, or down on the side of the legs, cramping or shooting pains below the waist area, that you have no explanation for?
Have you been unable to get any relief from the pain?
Very often unexplained pain can cause a great deal of terrible angst or continuous discomfort. Dry needling is a process by which we introduce a number of acupuncture needles carefully and gently into muscle groups which are causing chronic pain syndrome’s and decreased function. We are working towards restoring better function in the muscles effected, which regularly gives great relief from pain.
Treatment
Examples of treatment applications include the following:
- Treatment for pain that comes on while walking, while sleeping, while working or standing for periods of time.
- Sporting injury and dysfunction
- Pain related to extended time in bed. i.e.: Following hospital stays.
- Pain related to guarding injured joints, following the injury. In this case patterns of lifelong dysfunction may develop in particular muscles, leading to long-term chronic pain, with no apparent reason for this pain or dysfunction.
- The entrapment of nerves, where there may be numbness felt due to a nerve passing through a muscle that is in spasm.
- Chronic pain syndromes related to osteoarthritis, , biomechanical dysfunction, muscle spasm, Rheumatoid arthritis, psychological stress, rheumatic joints,
- Previous occupational accidents, serious falls, or injury that has taken place in the past and left pain and dysfunction.
FAQ
Is Dry Needling painful?
Having acupuncture needles put in it is not particularly painful; it is more about the physician putting in the needles, rather than the needles themselves. As you were carefully guided through the process, it is surprising how few people complain about the presence of the needles.
What will I feel?
You will often feel the release of tension, as the needle releases the trigger point. Most of my patients feel a great sense of relaxation, as tension that may have built up for many years, is released from the muscle
How many treatments will be required?
It really depends. Due to the immense benefit to many patients have, some people find great benefit from ongoing treatment for the first month or two, but very often there is great benefits experienced after the first treatment or two. It really depends on the condition, and the amount of time that the condition has been there.
How do I go about getting Dry needle therapy treatment at your Cairns podiatry surgery?
All you need to do is to ring our surgery on (07)40543330 and request a Dry needle therapy assessment. Indicate whether this is for chronic pain, occupational injury or sports conditioning or sports injury, and please give us 24 hours notice for change of appointments, because there are many people waiting for their assessment. This allows us to fit other patients in immediately, if you are unable to attend a visit.
Is this covered by health insurance?
For private health insurance, your normal rebates are available. Some patients with chronic conditions are able to access up to 5 visits per year to receive treatment. We also have pensioner and seniors card discounts, and welcome all Department of Veterans Affair patients.
Why you should get in touch with Hip 2 Toe
Very often the pain that has taken place seems to have no possible solution. It is therefore extremely important to have this pain properly assessed. We are able to carry out the detailed physical examination and history, in order to diagnose and treat the source and cause of the dysfunction and pain. Sometimes you may even notice that the symptoms vary from time to time, and that you don’t always have the pain, sometimes it seems to go away or maybe days or weeks. Very often there can be features that affect the autonomic nervous system, and may lead to unusual symptoms that are unexplainable. And very often the pain could be so bad; you are unable to function on particular days. Very often the muscles are not functioning properly; muscles may lack power, and may have devastating effects on your sleep. Very often your muscles may feel very stiff.
Some of my patients noticed that the pain started after recovering from a fall, and sometimes rear end collisions in cars can lead to certain pain syndromes related to the point pain. We look forward to you attending our surgery, where we have over 17 years of experience working with trigger point therapy. Very often patients feel there is little they can do about various forms of chronic pain. It is therefore vitally important to have it properly assessed and managed. We look forward to seeing you at our surgery, and wish to share some testimonials with you, from some of our valued patients.
