Southampton Acupuncture

Add to your Osteopathy treatment. Contact to Book at our Southampton Studio.

What is Acupuncture?

First off we need to clarify the difference between dry needling treatment and acupuncture. We do offer both, but yes there is a difference. Acupuncture is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine and involves the use of fine needles being inserted into the skin and briefly left in position along the Meridian System. The Meridian System links different areas of our body together. These pathways make up a comprehensive body map which supplies vital energy to every part of the body and explains how we live and why we get sick.

Traditional Chinese Acupuncture can help diagnose and successfully treat a wide range of conditions, from common ailments such as pain related conditions, arthritis, neck and back pain right through to treatment for ear, nose and throat disorders, circulatory disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, gynaecological/genitourinary disorders, immune disorders, addiction, respiratory disorders, musculoskeletal and neurological disorders. Acupuncture can also treat chemotherapy/radiation side effects, diabetes, dermatological disorders and weight control. Here at You Massage we have a fully qualified Chinese Acupuncturist, if you have any questions regarding this type of treatment call us on 02380 639747 or follow the links to consult our website.

Dry Needling and its benefits

Dry Needling is the western form of acupuncture which involves the use of acupuncture-type needles to treat the musculoskeletal and nervous systems of the body based on modern neuroanatomy science. The sites for needle insertion are located in skeletal muscles and not in the meridian system used by the traditional Chinese acupuncture. Dry needling is more focussed and localised for specific problems in muscles, ligaments, tendons and joints.

Who can benefit from Dry Needling treatment?

People who present with the following : Acute/chronic injuries , neck and back pain, headaches, tendinitis, muscle spasms , sciatica, hip and knee pain, muscle strains, fibromyalgia, tennis/golfers elbows and over-use injuries .

How does dry needling work? 

A needle that is about ¼ the size of a needle they would use to give you a flu injection is inserted into the skin and repetitively manipulated over a trigger point. The reason for this is to inactivate the myofascial trigger points by producing a local twitch response thus reducing the pain felt in that area and restoring healthy physiology. The side effects of this process may include mild muscle soreness and skin bruising. This varies from client to client.

Dry needling of trigger points brings relaxation to the muscle because it disrupts the motor end plate.  A trigger point is a sensitive area in the muscle which can cause pain when overstimulated. Applying pressure to this area can cause irritation in another part of the body. Normal function in the tissues is restored and the natural healing process begins when the insertion of the needle causes micro injuries in the dysfunctional, painful tissue and the local healing response is activated.

Why have this treatment?

Some of the benefits of dry needling include better circulation to the muscle, decreased pain in the musculoskeletal system, increased motion and improved strength and control of the muscle. Dry needling helps a therapist target the exact point within the muscle belly which could be difficult to access through deep tissue, hands on therapy. This is really helpful for treating chronic areas of pain which never seem to go away. 
We are excited to introduce Dry Needling to our repertoire from 18th July 2016.