Your doctor will talk you through the whole procedure:

• The area for treatment will be identified, disinfected and the needle will be placed. 
• At first, a mild pin-prick sensation may be felt. 
• The needle is then positioned to make the best contact with the painful muscle knot – at which point you may feel a muscle “twitch” or discomfort that mimics your complaint.
• This twitch brings white blood cells to the area, removes pain producing chemicals from the area and encourages healing.
• Immediately after the treatment you may experience reduced pain/sensitivity and considerable improvement in movement. 
• Some post-needling discomfort/tenderness is common but normal. Serious, negative side-effects are very rare
• Your doctor will advise ice or heat therapy and you will be given various stretching exercises that will help to reduce tenderness of the treated muscle.

The following should be avoided for the time specified by your doctor: 

•  Exercise  
• Strenuous activity to the muscles that have been dry needled 
• Any new physical activities or sports 
• The activity expected to have brought on the initial injury

NOTE: Every patient is different and therefore their experience after dry needling is different. These are some of the more common side-effects reported after dry needling:

• Muscle soreness lasting 24-48 hours, either immediately after treatment or by the next morning. 
• Muscle stiffness likened to a good workout at the gym. 
• Reduction in pain symptoms and an increase in range of motion. 
• Very rarely, the condition may be aggravated before improving, however the result after treatment and recovery is better than that of the pre-treatment condition. 
• Bruising – this is generally mild and expected. 
• If any light-headedness, dizziness or shortness of breath occurs in the hours following treatment, the patient should contact their chiropractic doctor for assistance. 
• Dry needling is very safe; serious side effects can occur in 0.01% of people