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. 2025 Sep 1;20(9):1355-1363.
doi: 10.26603/001c.143187. eCollection 2025.

Patient-Perceived Benefits and Adverse Events of Dry Needling

Melissa Tolbert  1 , K Suzanne Leach  2 , Matthew P Condo  3 , Anthony Mancini  1 , Rachel Tinius  4
Affiliations

Patient-Perceived Benefits and Adverse Events of Dry Needling

Melissa Tolbert et al. Int J Sports Phys Ther. .

Abstract

Background: Dry needling (DN) has emerged as a safe and effective physical therapy technique to address neuromusculoskeletal pain and dysfunctions; however, a gap in the literature exists regarding the experience from the patient's perspective, with most studies focusing on clinician-reported outcomes.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate patients' perspectives of self-reported adverse events and clinical outcomes from DN within the first 24 hours following the technique.

Study design: Cross-sectional retrospective study.

Methods: From April to May 2022, 123 participants were recruited through word of mouth, university-wide emails, and social media to complete an electronic survey. Inclusion criteria included those >18 years of age and who had received DN in the prior three months by a licensed physical therapist. The survey consisted of three sections: knowledge and experience with DN, location and perceived effects of DN, and participant demographics. Perceived effects focused on localized (e.g., pain, soreness, bruising) and generalized adverse events (e.g., shortness of breath, fatigue, fever), as well as outcomes (pain, gait, strength, mobility). Descriptive statistics were used for participant demographics and item responses.

Results: One hundred twenty-three participants completed the electronic survey (77.2% aged 18-50 years; 53.7% female). Soreness (52.0%) and pain (33.0%) were the most reported localized adverse events. Fatigue (21.7%) and headache (15.4%) were the most reported generalized adverse events. Following DN, patient-reported improvements in pain occurred in 73.8% of the selected body regions, while improved mobility occurred in 70.6%, improved strength in 38.5%, and improved gait in 46.2%.

Conclusion: Practitioners who utilize DN have a responsibility to communicate the possible benefits and adverse events post-DN. At least one localized event was reported in over 80% of the cases and one generalized adverse event in 40%, while positive improvements in pain or physical impairment occurred 38.5-73.8% of the time. Taken together, patients' self-reported benefits and adverse events in response to DN should both be carefully considered and discussed by practitioners when making clinical decisions about its use as a therapeutic intervention.

Level of evidence: 3.

Keywords: adverse events; dry needling; patient perspective; physical therapy; side effects.

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Figures

A graph with blue bars Description automatically generated
Figure 1.. Knowledge of DN prior to session
A graph with blue squares Description automatically generated
Figure 2.. Number of DN sessions in prior three months
A graph with blue bars AI-generated content may be incorrect.
Figure 3.. Percent of respondents reporting localized adverse events amongst all body regions
A graph with blue bars AI-generated content may be incorrect.
Figure 4.. Percent of respondents reporting generalized adverse events amongst all body regions
A graph with blue bars Description automatically generated with medium confidence
Figure 5.. Recommendation for DN to another
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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