IMS, Dry Needling, Acupuncture... Aren't They All The Same?

As physios, we get asked this question a lot - aren’t they the same thing? Both acupuncture and IMS use very thin (less than half a millimeter!), solid (in other words, not hollow) needles, but that’s where the similarities end.

Acupuncture is based in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is believed the Life Force, or Qi, flows through the body in paths termed meridians. When the path of Qi is blocked, an acupuncture needle can be used at specific points along the meridians to re-establish the flow of Qi. Acupuncture can be used for a whole host of things outside of a physiotherapist’s scope, including labour induction, pain control, and mental health. Often, acupuncturists will place several needles into the body at various locations and leave them there for a period of time.

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Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS), also known as Dry Needling, is a completely different approach using the same tool. It has taken off in the last several years mainly because of how fast and effective it has shown to be with certain musculoskeletal problems. With IMS, we are looking for trigger points - tight bands of muscle fibres that are sources of pain and dysfunction within the muscle. After identifying the trigger points, needles are inserted into the points with the goal of disrupting the trigger point and forcing it to relax. Needles aren’t typically left in for any length of time.

Let’s pretend your tennis elbow has been acting up for awhile and no amount of stretching, massage or rest is making a lick of difference. If we decided to give IMS a go, we would first use our hands to find the trigger points in the offending muscles in the forearm. Our goal is to use a needle to get into these trigger points and make the muscle contract around the needle. When we hit The Spot (you’ll know when we do!), the muscle contracts a few times before it gives up and relaxes. We are usually in and out with our needles in under 10 seconds.

There are several key benefits to IMS:

  • Pain reduction - several studies have pointed to the ability of IMS to reduce pain almost immediately, both at the tissue level and reducing the perception of pain in the brain

  • Increased range of motion - once that muscle lets go, you can move a lot more!

  • Increased blood flow to the area, helping to clear out the build up of waste products produced by a tight muscle

  • Improved function of a body segment

For the 24 hours after IMS, the best thing you can do is to move, but not too much! If you’re used to hitting a spin class, go for a leisurely bike ride instead - low intensity, low impact movement is best.

Of course, IMS is not for everyone and cannot treat everything. If needles aren’t your thing, we always have other things we can do. If simply reading this article made you feel yucky, we never have to do it!

That being said, if it is something you’re interested in learning more about, chat with one of our physiotherapists or feel free to give us a call!

Ladner Village Physiotherapy exists in what is colonially known as Delta, on the traditional, occupied and unceded territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ speaking people. As health care providers, we actively strive to understand the role of intergenerational trauma and health inequities applied through systemic and institutionalized racism with the goal of providing equitable and person-centred health care for all.