Dry Needling & Cupping

Dry needling and cupping are techniques we use within a remedial or myotherapy treatment, by therapists trained in them. They are not booked as separate appointments — mention them when you book a remedial or myotherapy appointment.

Who It Helps

Some tension does not respond to hands alone. If you keep going back to the same stubborn spot, these techniques are often what finally shifts it. They help people dealing with:

• A deep, stubborn knot a normal massage can reach but never quite releases
• Pain that refers elsewhere, like a shoulder knot that runs down the arm
• Muscles that feel permanently switched on and tight
• Stiff, restricted movement and reduced range
• Slow recovery after training, sport or injury
• Recurring tension headaches from a tight neck and shoulders

Dry needling reaches the trigger point directly, and cupping lifts and rehydrates tissue that has become stuck. Used inside your treatment, they shift what hands alone often cannot.

What Is Dry Needling?

Myofascial Dry Needling (MDN) is a relatively new and exciting form of treatment available to aid dysfunctions of the musculoskeletal system. During this therapy, super-fine filament needles (similar to those used in acupuncture), are inserted into the skin to directly affect the myofascia (muscles and fascia), with the aim of altering dysfunction that has developed. For example, dry needling is commonly used to deactivate hyperirritable areas in skeletal muscle known as trigger points or ‘knots’. Dry needling can help to restore healthy function to the effected tissues, helping you to feel better, more quickly

Can I Book In For Dry Needling?

Myofascial Dry Needling is usually implemented in conjunction with Remedial Massage, Myotherapy or Physiotherapy treatments, rather than as a stand-alone treatment.

As skin penetration occurs during this treatment technique; it is therefore essential that your suitability for Dry Needling be determined by your therapist, after a thorough consultation and assessment with you. After this, if both you and your therapist feel it is an appropriate technique for your condition, you may book in for Dry Needling in addition to your next massage.

What Is Cupping?

Cupping is a gentle and effective technique that aims to restore function, movement and flexibility to the soft tissue that connects the body’s muscles, cartilage, ligaments and tendons.

Derived from traditional Chinese medicine, cupping uses either heat or suction to create a vacuum effect in a glass or plastic cup, which is placed on the skin. The vacuum acts to gently lift the skin and underlying tissues, to break up cross linkages between the tissue layers that limit our flexibility. Cupping also promotes the hydration of these tissues to help prevent further cross linkages from forming.

It is not uncommon for clients to occasionally have residual marks, similar to bruising, from cupping, on the surface of their skin, but these are usually painless and will clear within 2 to 7 days. Cupping is a highly effective technique which you will find very gentle and highly enjoyable. Cupping is known to help activate the lymphatic system, promote blood circulation, and is extremely useful for deep tissue repair.

Can I Book In For Cupping?

Cupping is generally employed as a complimentary technique during remedial or myotherapy treatments rather than as stand-alone treatment.

Although cupping is suitable for the majority of clients, we ask that you mention your desire to have cupping included in your treatment at the time of booking, to ensure the availability of equipment, as it is a very popular choice by our clients.