Dry needling for bruxism, tension headaches and neck pain
Physiotherapy with fine needles that releases the muscle trigger points behind tension headaches, neck pain and bruxism.
Dry Needling for Head and Neck Pain: Fast Relief
Do you feel constant pressure in your temples or a knot in the back of your neck that won't let you work? Head and neck pain is one of the most common complaints in physiotherapy, especially at the start of the week.
Often, the cause is not structural but muscular: the well-known trigger points (or muscle knots). Dry needling has become the fastest and most effective treatment for deactivating this pain at its root.
Dry needling is an invasive physiotherapy technique that uses filiform needles (similar to acupuncture needles) to reach deep muscle tissue. Unlike other treatments, dry needling acts directly on the myofascial trigger point, causing an immediate release of accumulated tension.
Why does your head hurt if the problem is in your neck?
There is a phenomenon called referred pain. Muscles like the upper trapezius or sternocleidomastoid, when overloaded by stress or poor posture (the famous Tech Neck), send pain signals to the forehead, temples, or jaw.
This is what we know as headache of cervical origin. Trigger points in the neck muscles "fire" pain to seemingly unrelated areas.
Main muscle affected by stress and poor posture. Refers pain to the temples and behind the eyes.
Overloaded by phone posture (Tech Neck). Refers pain to the forehead and orbital area.
Deep muscles at the base of the skull. Cause the "helmet" type pain that wraps around the entire head.
Average pain reduction on the VAS scale (0-10) after one week of dry needling treatment.
Of patients experience significant pain reduction within the first 48 hours.
Post-treatment soreness is similar to DOMS and disappears within 24-48 hours.
Most patients experience significant relief from the very first session. We recommend follow-up to evaluate progress and prevent relapse.
Dry needling uses similar needles, but it is not the same as acupuncture for tension headaches, which is based on traditional Chinese medicine. It complements night guards: the guard protects the teeth and dry needling treats muscle tension. Between sessions, you can do the FisioENIQ guided neck and jaw exercises your specialist prescribes at home.
Key benefits for your cervical health
Dry needling acts directly on myofascial trigger points, restoring normal muscle function and eliminating referred pain.
What does dry needling achieve?
Tension Headache Elimination
Relaxes the suboccipital muscles that cause pain behind the eyes. Deactivates the trigger points responsible for constant pressure in the temples.
Cervicalgia Relief
Reduces stiffness in the trapezius and neck almost instantly. Releases accumulated tension in the sternocleidomastoid and deep cervical muscles.
Improved Mobility
Recover your range of motion without the sharp pain when turning your head. Trigger point release eliminates the muscle spasm that limits movement.
Drug-Free Treatment
A natural alternative for those suffering from chronic migraines who don't want to depend on painkillers. No systemic side effects.
Dry needling triggers a local twitch response (LTR), which signals that the muscle is "resetting". This response is the key mechanism that differentiates dry needling from other treatments.
Real data on pain evolution with dry needling, measured on the VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) from 0 to 10.
Dry Needling Efficacy on Pain (VAS Scale 0-10)
Cervical Referred Pain Pattern
Post-needling recovery time
Real Results: Typical Pain Evolution
Is Dry Needling Painful?
It's the most searched question. Although the idea of a needle might be intimidating, the reality is very different from what you imagine.
- Actual sensation during treatment The feeling is one of deep pressure or a small local twitch response (LTR). This twitch signals that the muscle is "resetting".
- Post-treatment soreness The post-treatment soreness is similar to DOMS and usually disappears within 24-48 hours, giving way to a feeling of absolute lightness.
- Ultra-thin filiform needles Needles as thin as a human hair are used, similar to acupuncture needles. Most patients barely feel the insertion.
- Fast and lasting relief Pre-treatment pain of 7.8 on the VAS scale drops to 1.5 within one week. The reduction is progressive and consistent.
- Perfect complement for bruxism Dry needling is ideal as a complement to night guards, directly targeting the muscle tension that the guard cannot resolve.
Don't let headaches ruin your productivity or your rest. At our ENIQ clinic, we are specialists in the treatment of myofascial pain syndrome using advanced physiotherapy and dry needling techniques.
How much does dry needling cost?
The price of dry needling treatment depends on the area to be treated and the number of sessions needed, which is determined after a personalized initial assessment.
Cervical dry needling
Headache and cervicalgia treatment
Dry needling treatment for tension headaches and cervicalgia. Trigger point deactivation in trapezius, SCM and suboccipitals.
Initial assessment included
Trigger point treatment
No drugs or side effects
Frequently asked questions about dry needling
Get answers about dry needling for bruxism, tension headaches and neck pain. customer service.
Yes, as a complement to the night guard. The guard protects your teeth but cannot resolve the muscle tension; dry needling acts directly on it and deactivates the trigger points that keep the pain going, including the pain that neck muscles can refer to the jaw.
It is dry needling applied to the neck muscles: the upper trapezius, the sternocleidomastoid and the suboccipitals. Their trigger points cause headaches of cervical origin (pressure in the temples or forehead, or the "helmet" type pain that wraps around the head), and deactivating them relieves tension headaches and neck stiffness.
On the area to be treated and the number of sessions you need. Both are determined at the personalized initial assessment, which is included in the treatment.
Although the idea of a needle might be intimidating, the sensation is one of deep pressure or a small local twitch response (LTR). This twitch signals that the muscle is "resetting". Post-treatment soreness is similar to DOMS and usually disappears within 24-48 hours.
Although both use similar filiform needles, dry needling is based on Western neuroanatomy and acts directly on specific myofascial trigger points. Acupuncture is based on traditional Chinese medicine and works on energy meridians.
This is due to the phenomenon of referred pain. Muscles like the upper trapezius or sternocleidomastoid, when overloaded by stress or poor posture (Tech Neck), send pain signals to the forehead, temples, or jaw.
Most patients experience significant relief from the very first session. The number of sessions depends on the chronicity of the pain, but typically a pain reduction from 7.8 to 1.5 on the VAS scale is observed after the complete treatment.
Yes, dry needling is an ideal complement to night guards, acupuncture, and other bruxism treatments. While the night guard protects your teeth, dry needling directly deactivates the trigger points that cause head and neck pain.