In dry needling the physiotherapist first locates the active trigger point in the muscle. They then guide a very fine needle through the skin directly into that point. When the needle reaches the tense fibre strand, a brief, involuntary twitch of the muscle can occur – the so-called local twitch response. This reaction is regarded as a sign that the trigger point has been hit and is releasing: blood flow improves, muscle tone normalises and pain eases.
It is important to distinguish it from acupuncture: both use similar needles but follow different concepts. Acupuncture comes from Traditional Chinese Medicine and works along meridians and energy points. Dry needling is based on Western anatomy and specifically treats myofascial trigger points in the muscle. In Switzerland dry needling is mainly performed by physiotherapists with the relevant advanced training.
The method is used for muscular pain: neck and back complaints, tension headaches, tennis and golfer's elbow, shoulder problems or discomfort in the hip and calf. Needling takes only a few seconds to minutes per point; the whole treatment is usually embedded in a physiotherapy session. Afterwards the area may feel sore for a day or two, and a small bruise is possible.
As part of a medically prescribed physiotherapy course, dry needling is generally covered by basic insurance. As a standalone service for self-payers, the guide price is roughly CHF 40 to 100 depending on scope and practice (no guarantee). Dry needling is unsuitable in cases such as needle phobia, certain blood-clotting disorders or in an acutely inflamed area.