6 dangers of dry needling

1. DR. SUBHANJAN DAS, PT
Subhanjan_82@yahoo.com
+91 8967549104
Dry Needling Instructor
MPT (Musculoskeletal & Sports)
Assoc. Prof., BIMLS, Burdwan

2. Also in the series
 http://www.slideshare.net/SubhanjanDas/introduction-to-dry-needling
 http://www.slideshare.net/SubhanjanDas/2-brief-hisory-of-needling
 http://www.slideshare.net/SubhanjanDas/3-superficial-dry-needling
 http://www.slideshare.net/SubhanjanDas/4-indications-of-dry-needling
 http://www.slideshare.net/SubhanjanDas/6-dangers-of-dry-needling
 http://www.slideshare.net/SubhanjanDas/7-physiologic-background-of-dry-needling
 http://www.slideshare.net/SubhanjanDas/8-dn-vs-acupuncture
 http://www.slideshare.net/SubhanjanDas/9-electroacupuncture
 http://www.slideshare.net/SubhanjanDas/10-legalities-involved-in-dry-needling

3.  Dry needling poses certain potential risks to the
patient and therapists which are not associated with
traditional non-invasive physiotherapy treatment.

4. Pneumothorax
Dry needling may puncture pleura and cause
pneumothorax.

5.  DN should be performed with special precautions
around thorax
 needling is done obliquely and superficially.
Emphysematous patients have maximum risk.
 A pincer grip should be utilised as in the case of the
upper trapezius, or needling over bone to protect the
lung as in the case of the scapula and ribs.
 The risk of a pneumothorax is very small if proper
needling techniques are employed

7.  The risk of a pneumothorax is very small if proper
needling techniques are employed

8. Clinical features
 Sudden and sharp chest pain
 Breathing difficulty
 Tight chest
 Early fatigue
 Tachycardia
 dimished chest sounds
 Low O2 tension
 Low BP

9. Blood Vessels
 with DN there is a potential of injury to blood vessels.
 Palpating for a pulse to locate an artery prior to DN
minimizes the risk.

10. Nerve
 with DN there is potential for injury to nerves.
 Special consideration needs to be given in relation to
the spine and in the posterior sub occipital area
 the brain stem is accessible through the foramen
magnum.

11. Organs
 Anatomical knowledge of internal organs is important
as with DN there is potential for
 injury to internal organs such as the kidney or
penetration into the peritoneum cavity.

12. Others
 Stuck, bent, broken needle.
 Forgotten needle, forgotten patient.
 Euphoria

13. Minor adverse effects
1. needling pain
2. aggravation of symptoms
3. faintness, drowsiness

14. Patient instructions
 Regarding activity
 Regarding decision making!

15.  rare but serious traumatic complications could be
avoided if practitioners had better anatomical
knowledge, applied existing anatomical knowledge
better, or both (Peuker and Gronemeyer 2001).