Acupuncture is an ancient form of therapy which uses the insertion of needles to reduce pain and improve function by targeting different meridian pathways of energy in your body.
We use a type of Medical Acupuncture or Dry Needling for pain relief by inserting needles into specific areas of the muscle known as trigger points to decrease muscle tightness, increase blood flow, and lower pain.
We offer advanced dry needling physiotherapy for targeted treatment around specific areas of pain or discomfort which can result in more effective outcomes, with fewer treatment sessions, and at lower cost.
It is called dry needling because it is derived from an older medical technique called trigger point injections. These injections were "wet" meaning that practitioners injected a liquid substance through a hypodermic needle. Dry needling uses a solid needles and does not inject anything, hence it is "dry", it is applied in a same way as acupuncture needles but they are inserted at different parts of the body..
During your session, you’ll usually be asked to sit or lie down. You may also be asked to loosen or remove a minimum amount of clothing so that we can access certain parts of your body. This treatment technique provides an environment that enhances the body’s ability to heal which ultimately reduces pain and is widely used in professional sports. Licensed physiotherapists are increasingly using dry needling under the scope of their practice.
As a sports injury acupuncture specialist we use this type of medical acupuncture to help reduce pain, conquer your muscle knots, improve your range of motion, and reduce your stress. We also integrate medical acupuncture into many of our treatment plans for a wide range of injuries, from sprains and strains to sports injuries, arthritis, back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, whether acute or chronic and inflammation.
We’ve had great success over the years by offering medical acupuncture in Cheltenham to our patients. However like any other healthcare intervention, medical acupuncture has both pros and cons, and these will be discussed with you prior to starting treatment. Our priority is always on patient care so we won’t suggest it to patients that we feel won’t benefit.
By working together physiotherapy and acupuncture can create a synergistic effect where the sum benefit is greater than either alone. which can lead to a faster and more complete recovery. Even though the technique we used is referred to as dry needling or medical acupuncture, we are governed by the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists and we are also registered and approved to perform acupuncture in Cheltenham by Cheltenham Borough Council so you can be assured that you will get professional care.
The NICE chronic pain guidelines (2021) recommend acupuncture for people with chronic i.e. long-term pain.
If you are simply looking to take tension out of overly tight or stressed neck and shoulder areas, then medical acupuncture / dry needling is a very relaxing treatment. If you have a problem which is currently too painful to treat with hands on treatments but need effective pain relief and relaxation, this is perfect and can be used to help start or progress your recovery.
Needles are usually inserted either just under the skin, or sometimes deeper so that they reach the muscle, these are typically left in position for 20-30 minutes before being removed. Several insertion points may be used during a session depending on the symptoms that you have. The needles that we use are very fine, and are pre-sterilised single use, which will be carefully disposed of after use.
Acupuncture was once described as alternative medicine but now acupuncturists work is considered mainstream. Both traditional and medical acupuncture stimulates the body to produce endorphins and oxytocin, which are the body's natural pain and stress relieving chemicals. It promotes sleep by stimulating the release of melatonin in the body, which encourages a sense of well-being by stimulating the release of serotonin. Acupuncture also stimulates nerve fibres to block out pain signals and helps to reduce the sensitivity of tender points in the body.
A course of acupuncture treatment is usually recommended because it can take a few sessions for you to see long-lasting improvements.
Dry Needling can be used for anyone with musculoskeletal conditions such as joint and muscle pain such as neck pain, shoulder impingement, tennis or golfers elbow, sciatica, tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, headaches, hip pain, knee pain, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, or low-back pain, overuse injuries and much more.
Our sports injury specialists often use dry needling to relieve short-term pain and as a useful, noninvasive, and conservative option for managing injuries such as lateral meniscus rupture, femoral acetabular impingement, ganglion cysts, and sports hernia.
If you feel that you have muscle knots, areas of tightness or scar tissue problems from an injury then dry needling may be a great way of helping to reduce your symptoms and kick start your recovery.
Dry needling is a useful tool in the physiotherapists locker for the vast majority of people but like all treatments it may not be appropriate for everyone. It can sometimes cause discomfort during treatment and carries a small risk of bruising or bleeding at the insertion sites. Therefore we won't recommend it for people with certain medical conditions or risk factors. such as people on blood thinners, an infection in the affected area, bleeding disorders, compromised immune systems, a metal allergy, or a fear of needles.
Additionally, there are certain anatomical areas where dry needling should be approached with caution to avoid potential complications or injuries.
During your initial evaluation, we will take your medical history and individual condition into account and we won’t suggest dry needling as an option if you fall into one of the above categories. However, if you’ve got any questions about whether or not dry needling is a good fit for you, make sure to discuss this with your physiotherapist.
We offer acupuncture in Cheltenham as a stand-alone pain treatment or integrated into broader treatment plans. Our acupuncturists will work with you to tailor your treatment, based on medical history, current condition and recovery goals.
We understand that some people may want to find out a bit more about the cost before they book an appointment at our physiotherapy clinic. Our unique save as you recover packages can save you up to 20% on the cost of a single session.
For most injuries our chartered physio can usually treat you within 4 to 8 sessions.
We can either work directly with your insurance company or we can provide receipts for patients who use cash-based plans so you can reclaim your treatment costs.
You can book an appointment on a self referral basis, without the need for seeing your GP first.
No other local physiotherapy clinic can offer you the same level of physiotherapy and rehabilitation that we can, simply because they don't have our level of experience and our in-house gym facilities.
This is how we gained our reputation of treating patients when other physios may have failed.
At Straight Back Physio we believe in giving our patients the opportunity to engage and explain their injury history, lifestyle etc. to our physiotherapists therefore each new patient is given 45minutes on their first appointment with follow ups being 30 minutes in length.
Recover faster, our chartered physios can usually get you back to redoing the activities you can't do now within 4 to 8 sessions.
We understand that some people may want to find out a bit more about the cost before they book an appointment at our physiotherapy clinic. Our unique save as you recover packages can save you up to 20% on the cost of a single session.
We can either work directly with your insurance company or provide receipts for patients who use cash based plans so you can reclaim your costs.
If you want see the best physiotherapist near you then book an appointment in our Cheltenham physiotherapy clinic on a self referral basis, no need to see your GP.
No other local physiotherapy clinic can offer you the same level of physiotherapy and rehabilitation as we can due to our experience and our in-house gym facilities. You’ll get the full benefits of physiotherapy from exactly the right combination of interventions to get you on your route to recovery.
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