5 Common IMS/Dry Needling Questions Answered
What is IMS (Intramuscular Stimulation)?
(IMS) Intra Muscular Stimulation, is a technique developed by Chan Gunn, MD. This needling treatment technique involves inserting fine needles into stiff muscles, producing reflex relaxation. IMS is effective for musculoskeletal pain syndromes (neuropathy) as it improves mobility and reduces irritation. IMS/Dry Needling is a safe and effective treatment for acute and chronic pain and rehabilitation of an injury, dry needling is an effective means of finding and treating neuromuscular dysfunction, which causes pain and functional deficits.
Is Anything Injected?
No, IMS/Dry Needling only focuses on the affected areas of the body and does not inject any substance into the body.
How is It Different From Acupuncture?
Our physiotherapists that perform acupuncture target very specific location points based on surface anatomy. The needles are generally left in for 20 to 30 minutes. In IMS/Dry Needling the target points for needles are based on muscle tension from underlying anatomy. Needles are typically inserted for only a few seconds at a time while being moved around to release the muscle tension.
Is It Painful?
IMS/Dry Needling produces twitches in the muscle to relieve muscular tension. Insertion of the needle is not painful, muscle twitching evoked by IMS/Dry Needling might cause a cramping session in sensitive muscles.
Are there side effects?
The most common side effect is localized muscle soreness in the days following treatment. Your physiotherapists will discuss all contraindications to treatment and other side effects with you.
Who can benefit?
-
Chronic Pain
-
Sports Injuries
-
Neck Pain/Headaches
-
Muscle Tension
-
Arthritis
-
Disc herniation
-
Postural disorders (scoliosis)
-
Tennis Elbow
-
Tendinopathy
-
Sprains/ Strains
-
Jaw (TMJ issues)
-
ICBC (car accidents)
-
and more!
Who offers this service?
Jayde Woo PT – Port Coquitlam
Eduardo Naranjo PT – Vancouver
Patrick O’Flaherty PT – Vancouver
Physiotherapy
What is Physiotherapy Treatment?
Physiotherapy is most often confused with occupational therapy. However, these professions are actually very different. Physiotherapy focuses on...
Kinesiology vs Physiotherapy
Kinesiology vs Physiotherapy If you’re a senior who is not involved in activities to continually develop muscle strength and conditioning or someone...
How to Identify and Manage your Migraines
What's the best treatment for a migraine? Did you know that there are over 100 types of headaches and around 1 billion people worldwide have...
What is an Individualized Running Assessment? (and Why Get One?)
How can I improve my running? Gearing up for running season? Want to improve your running speed and endurance? At Westcoast SCI, we offer one-on-one...
Pain: How it Works & Management
What causes pain and how does pain work? PAIN IS COMPLEX Modern pain science focuses on the biopsychosocial model of pain, which posits that our...
Physiotherapy (Why you should Start Working with a Physio)
Do I need to see a physio?While most people have heard of physiotherapy, there are still plenty who don’t know exactly what a physiotherapist does....