How many IMS treatments will I need?

Intramuscular stimulation (IMS) is extremely effective at loosening tightened muscles and reducing pain after your first session. We expect to see some improvement after the first session but generally 3-4 sessions are required to ensure that IMS is working with most injuries resolving after 8-10 sessions.

Is IMS the same as dry needling?

Both IMS and dry needling are interchangeable terms used for a treatment technique that involves using an acupuncture needle to generate a localized twitch response in an overactive muscle to treat pain of a neuropathic origin.

Is IMS treatment safe?

The most common side effect of IMS is some minor bruising and aching. On rare occasions, some people feel tired after a IMS session and this usually resolves in a few hours. All in all, the cleaning, screening, and proper technique is what makes IMS safe.

Is IMS evidence based?

Is there scientific evidence supporting IMS? Yes. The scientific studies done on patients receiving IMS have shown it to be an effective treatment to treat both acute and chronic pain for a broad range of neuromuscular issues.

Is IMS the same as acupuncture?

It differs from acupuncture because only a single needle is inserted into the muscles at a time. As opposed to keeping this in for 25-30 minutes, this needle remains in place for a couple of seconds with the IMS technique. Many muscles can be addressed during one session.

How often can you get IMS?

How Often Should I Have IMS Treatment? Gunn IMS treatments are usually once a week to allow time between treatments for the muscles to recover and allow the natural healing process to occur. The number of treatments depends on several factors, including: The duration and extent of your condition.

How is IMS different than acupuncture?

What does IMS feel like?

IMS can be an uncomfortable form of treatment . It will often feel like a cramp, a grab, a twitch, or a strong ache deep in the muscle that will slowly dissipate as the muscle releases. Penetration of a normal muscle, however, is painless.

Is IMS treatment painful?

Most people describe IMS as unpleasant but not painful. The treatment itself does not last very long, with the needles sometimes inserted for only a few seconds each.

Do acupuncture needles go into the muscle?

Typically, the needle enters the body of a muscle, but the depth depends on the acupuncture point. A point on the back of the neck may be 2–3 cm deep, but a point on the forehead may only be a few millimeters deep.

Is IMS a form of acupuncture?

IMS uses the same needles but is based in Western medicine’s knowledge of anatomy and physiology. Instead of stimulating specific acupuncture points, we base insertion points on a thorough physical examination which includes muscle tightness and pain.

Can you workout after IMS?

Dry needling can be quite taxing to the muscles and soft tissues and you may feel sore afterwards. If this is the case it is advised to wait at least 24-48 hours after dry needling to undertake any strenuous weightlifting or strenuous cardio.

Does IMS help arthritis?

Since IMS specifically targets chronic musculoskeletal pain, it’s not an effective treatment for other types of pain such as chronic inflammatory pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis, cancer pain, metabolic neuropathies (i.e. diabetes) and degenerative neurological conditions (i.e. Parkinson’s disease).

What is better dry needling or acupuncture?

A 2014 review found that dry needling in muscles and tissues around the pain point reduces pain and sensitivity more than needling just in the pain point. This dry needling strategy is more similar to acupuncture in that it treats a larger area of muscles and nerves.

Is dry needling better than massage?

Between-group comparisons showed that dry needling increased pain threshold significantly more than friction massage. There were no significant differences between groups in any other outcome variables. Dry needling and friction massage were equally effective in improving symptoms in patients with TTH.

What’s the difference between acupuncture and IMS?

Acupuncture is a technique based in traditional Chinese medicine and is thousands of years old. It involves inserting needles into specific acupuncture points to relieve pain and other ailments. IMS uses the same needles but is based in Western medicine’s knowledge of anatomy and physiology.

Can dry needling make things worse?

Some uncommon, sub-1% adverse effects included aggravation of symptoms, headache, nausea, shaking, itching, and numbness. “Aggravation of symptoms” is one of the most important considerations from the patient perspective (and the least likely to be known/reported by practitioners).

What is the difference between IMS and acupuncture?

What is Intramuscular Stimulation?

Intramuscular Stimulation was developed as a remedy for chronic muscle pain and tension that results from muscles held in a consistently tight/shortened state (> 6 weeks). The pain in these muscles can go away for a brief moment but it often returns when you try to stretch or contract them again.

What is IMS treatment and how does it work?

In turn, IMS is a good combination of Western conventional medicine and Eastern traditional medicine and is primarily designed to treat chronic pain and muscle tension. Patients who still suffer pain even after going through normal Physiotherapy should consider IMS treatment.

What is acupuncture/IMS?

Acupuncture is based on pre-defined, non-scientific meridians. Some of these points are into muscles, nerves and joints. IMS requires a medical examination by a practitioner very knowledgeable in anatomy. IMS needle insertion points are indicated by findings and physical signs.

What are the side effects of IMS?

Common IMS side effects include bruising and local tenderness at the area of treatment. If you think you might benefit from IMS, it is a good idea to talk to one of our Physiotherapists about it.