Many people looking into dry needling in Preston want to know one thing: what it actually is, and whether it is something they would have. It is a fair question, but it is the wrong starting point.
At this clinic, every appointment begins with a check of your problem, whether you book a standalone dry needling session or a wider physiotherapy or sports massage plan. Within a full treatment plan, dry needling is one of several techniques that may be used, alongside options such as manual therapy, soft tissue mobilisation, trigger point release, myofascial release, kinesiology taping, and exercise therapy and rehabilitation. It is used only where it is suitable for you.
Many treatment plans do not include dry needling at all. There is no set formula and no default technique. Your plan is built around you, your problem and your assessment, not around any single method.
Dry needling uses a very fine, sterile, single use filament needle. The therapist inserts it through your skin into a muscle or other soft tissue. Nothing is injected through the needle, which is why the technique is called "dry". The needle is disposed of straight after your session.
Before any needle is used, the therapist carries out a physical assessment of your muscles, joints and movement, and asks about your general health, whether for a standalone session or as part of a wider plan. They also draw on their knowledge of anatomy. Together, this tells them which areas to work on. Some areas of muscle that feel tender under pressure are sometimes called trigger points. Dry needling can be booked as a standalone session, and it is also a technique used within a wider physiotherapy or sports massage treatment plan.
Dry needling can be booked as a standalone session at Rehab Genius Health, or used as one technique within physiotherapy or within sports massage therapy, our two treatment settings. For a standalone session, the therapist first checks suitability through health questions and a brief look at the area, and asks for your consent before any needle is used; you can decline or stop at any time. Within a full treatment plan, the therapist assesses your problem first, and only after this assessment do they decide what your plan should contain, and whether dry needling has a place in it.
If you see a physiotherapist, who is HCPC-registered, dry needling may form one element of your physiotherapy plan alongside other techniques such as manual therapy, exercise therapy and rehabilitation, or posture and ergonomics advice. If you see a sports massage therapist, dry needling may form one element of your soft tissue treatment, alongside techniques such as soft tissue mobilisation, trigger point release, myofascial release or kinesiology taping. Within either plan, dry needling is optional and sits alongside hands-on work and exercise, as one part of a wider approach. It can also be booked as a standalone session, where it is the focus of your appointment.
Whether dry needling is used at all depends on what the assessment finds and on what you are comfortable with. It is optional. Your therapist will explain it and ask for your consent before using it. If you decide it is not for you, the rest of your plan continues as agreed; declining dry needling does not change the other techniques your therapist may use.
Dry needling is one entry on a longer list of techniques your physiotherapist or sports massage therapist may use inside your plan. For most people, most of a plan is made up of the techniques below, with dry needling as one option that may or may not be included, depending on what your assessment shows.
Which of these, if any, form part of your plan is decided at your assessment, based on what is found and what suits you. Plans are not fixed; they are reviewed and adjusted as your treatment continues, and the mix of techniques may change over time.
If you are booking physiotherapy or sports massage, your first appointment is a 60-minute assessment. The therapist asks about your symptoms, your general health and medical history, and what you want to be able to do, whether that is returning to a sport, managing a daily task, or something else important to you. They then carry out a physical assessment, looking at how you move and where the problem seems to be. This assessment is what your plan is based on. If you book a standalone dry needling session, your appointment starts with a suitability check, covering your general health and the area to be treated, before any needle is used.
Your plan is discussed with you after the assessment. If dry needling is being suggested as part of it, the therapist explains what is involved, checks whether it is suitable for you, and talks through the risks with you before anything goes ahead. It proceeds only with your consent. You may change your mind at any point, including part way through a session, and the therapist will stop.
It helps the therapist if you mention anything that may affect whether needling is suitable for you, for example a bleeding disorder, blood-thinning medication, pregnancy, a skin problem in the area, or a fear of needles. This is not a complete list. The therapist will ask what they need to know at your assessment, so there is no need to prepare anything in advance.
If dry needling is not suitable for you, the therapist will talk you through the other techniques in your plan instead.
Dry needling can be booked as a standalone session, or used alongside other elements of your treatment plan, such as hands-on work, exercise or postural advice. Your physiotherapist or sports massage therapist checks whether it is suitable for you, through health questions and a brief look at the area, and asks for your consent before any needle is used. Before beginning, they explain what to expect during the technique and afterwards, so you know what is involved, and you can decline or stop at any time.
What people notice during dry needling varies from person to person. Your therapist talks you through this beforehand and is happy to answer any questions you have. If anything feels uncomfortable or unusual at any point, tell your therapist straight away; they can stop at any time. Some people feel light-headed or faint during or shortly after needling, so tell your therapist if this happens. If you develop chest pain or breathlessness after a session involving your neck or shoulder, seek medical advice promptly, and call 999 if it is severe. If you have any other concerns after your session, let your therapist know so they can advise you.
No, dry needling is optional. Whether it is suggested depends on your assessment and on what your physiotherapist or sports massage therapist judges suitable for you. It also depends on what you feel comfortable with. If you would rather not have it, you can decline; this does not change the rest of your treatment plan.
Yes. Dry needling can be booked as a standalone appointment, as well as being used as a technique within physiotherapy or sports massage therapy. For a standalone session, the therapist checks suitability through health questions and a brief look at the area, and asks for your consent before any needle is used; you can decline or stop at any time. Within a full treatment plan, it is one technique among several, used only where the assessment shows it is suitable.
Your plan may include manual therapy, soft tissue mobilisation, trigger point release, myofascial release, kinesiology taping, exercise therapy and rehabilitation, post-operative rehabilitation, or posture and ergonomics advice. Dry needling may or may not be one part of this mix. Which techniques are used, and in what combination, is decided at your assessment, based on what is suitable for you.
What people notice during dry needling varies from person to person, so it is difficult to say in general terms. Your therapist explains what to expect before starting, so you know what is involved. If anything feels uncomfortable at any point, tell your therapist straight away; they can stop the technique immediately.
Dry needling, where suitable, is available at Rehab Genius Health, Barbury House, 8 Hardy Close, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston PR2 2XP, as a standalone session or within physiotherapy or sports massage therapy. It always follows a suitability check, and your therapist uses this to decide whether dry needling is right for you, whether on its own or as part of your treatment plan.
The starting point at Rehab Genius Health is always a check of your problem. For a full physiotherapy or sports massage plan, your first appointment lasts 60 minutes and covers your symptoms, your history and what you want to be able to do again; your therapist then explains which techniques they suggest, which may or may not include dry needling, based on what is suitable for you. Dry needling can also be booked as a standalone session, where your therapist checks suitability before any needle is used. If you are ready to take the first step, book your appointment at Rehab Genius Health.
Book an assessment online or call 01772 287 388.
Rehab Genius Health, Barbury House, 8 Hardy Close, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston PR2 2XP.
This article is general information about techniques used in physiotherapy and sports massage therapy. It is not a substitute for an individual assessment by a registered healthcare professional.
