Are Specialised Therapies Safe? Questions to Ask Your Therapist

Physiotherapy clinics offer an increasing range of specialised treatments: dry needling, acupuncture, cupping, kinesiology taping, manipulation and more. Some can be helpful. But it's reasonable to ask questions before agreeing to any treatment.

Questions worth asking

1. Why is this treatment suitable for me? A good therapist should explain how it fits your diagnosis and goals, not just offer it to everyone.

2. What's the evidence for it? Ask honestly what research says about it for your condition. A good therapist will tell you if evidence is limited or mixed.

3. What are the risks and side effects? Every treatment has some. You should know what's common (soreness, bruising) and what's rare but serious.

4. Are you trained in it? Specialised therapies usually require additional training beyond basic qualifications. It's fine to ask about it.

5. How many sessions, and how will we know it's working? There should be a plan and a way of measuring progress, such as pain levels, movement or what you can do.

6. What else will we be doing? Specialised therapies work best alongside exercise and education, not as the whole treatment.

7. What are the alternatives? There's usually more than one way to treat a problem.

Safety basics

• Hygiene: needles should be single-use, sterile and disposed of safely
• Consent: you should be asked before any treatment, and can say no or stop at any time
• Medical history: your therapist should ask about medications (especially blood thinners), pregnancy, implants, and conditions like diabetes or epilepsy

Tell your therapist if you:

• Are pregnant or might be
• Take blood-thinning medication
• Have a pacemaker or other implant
• Have diabetes, epilepsy or a bleeding disorder
• Have a fear of needles or feel faint easily

Warning signs of poor practice

• Promises of a "cure" or guaranteed results
• Pressure to buy large packages of sessions upfront
• No exercise or self-management advice
• No assessment before treatment

Our approach

We use specialised therapies only when they suit your condition, after a full assessment, explanation and your consent, and always as part of a wider plan.