Foot Pain Treatment: Dry Needling & Prolotherapy - Podiatry Sunbury
Our Podiatrist provides dry needling & prolotherapy to help relax and relieve muscle pain in order to prevent future complications.
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Dry Needling & Prolotherapy

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Dry Needling

What is it? And how can it help me?

An acupuncture needle is inserted into the taut band of muscle to help relax the muscle and relieve pain and stiffness within the

muscle. The needle often produce the sensation that the traditional Chinese acupuncturists call de qi (meaning numbness and

distension)

 

The needling going into the muscle is swift and painless.

 

The acupuncture needles once in the muscle cause’s a release of chemicals such as endorphin’s and blood vessel dilation, helping

wash out of the painful inflammatory cells. It is used as part of your treatment plan to help relieve your symptoms and improve

function.

 

The steps of dry needling:

  1. Your Podiatrist will find sore spots in your muscle known as myofascial trigger points.
  2. Acupuncture needle is inserted into the sore muscle
  3. The acupuncture needle “resets your muscle” help reduce pain and improve function
  4. The needle is left in you muscle for a few minutes.
  5. The needle is taken out, and you podiatrist will massage the affected muscles.

 

What sort of conditions would benefit from dry needling?

  • Plantar fasciitis
  • Shin Splints
  • Tendinopathies
  • Foot pain

 

Is it safe?

Yes! It is very rare to experience any serious adverse reactions following treatment. As with any treatment, individual responses

vary from person to person. Commonly some people have mild muscle soreness following treatment which lasts 1-2 days, while

other may experience bruising.

 

What to know more?

If you would like to know more about Trigger Point Dry Needling, please contact Our Podiatrist via our website www.ourpodiatrist.com.au

Prolotherapy

Prolotherapy is a safe injection technique which provides increased strength in joints, ligaments and tendons by making

new connective tissue.

 

Prolotherapy is designed to stimulate healing by triggering inflammation and new collagen formation, thereby strengthening and eventually shortening ligaments and restoring effective ligament function. Prolotherapy is used to treat sprained ligaments, strained tendons and damaged cartilage.

 

This means it can be used to treat

  • Achilles tendinopathy (1)
  • Osteoarthritis of the foot, ankle and knee
  • Bunions and hammer toes
  • Sprained ankles

 

The benefits of prolotherapy is greatly enhanced when used in combination with other treatment modalities such as orthoses,

footwear change, and muscle stretching and strengthening.

 

What is used in the prolotherapy technique?

A combination of local anaesthetic, glucose and saline. This solution is injected to where the pain is coming from. The local

anaesthetic provides pain relief. Then inflammation begins – and pain may occur and last about 2 days.

 

What can I do to help?

Avoid aspirin, other anti-inflammatory drugs and liniments. For pain relief use paracetamol. You can exercise immediately after

or when pain has decreased. Exercise is necessary to re-educate correct muscle patterns, however exercise shouldn’t be painful.

 

What are the risks?

There are risks associated with everything you put into your body. With any injection there is a slight risk of infection,

bruising or a reaction to the substance being injected such as the anaesthetic. There may be soreness after the procedure for a

day or two. Most of the time there is no adverse reaction beyond very minor bruising at the procedure site. Care, knowledge and

skill on the part of the practitioner treating can minimize any risk.

 

Importance of ligaments

Ligaments are vital for joint stability. If strained or loose, the joint slips and slides out of the track it was designed to follow, and the cartilage becomes worn causing osteoarthritis. Prolotherapy for worn joints (feet, ankles or knees) involves treatment of the ligament around that joint and usually and injection into the joint, as it also stimulates regrowth of cartilage.

 

How many treatments will I need?

A series of 2-3 injections are usually for foot and ankle pain, which is done by spacing treatments out over 2 week intervals.

Click to view the Prolotherapy Info Sheet