Intramuscular stimulation (IMS) and Integrated Dry Needling (IDN) are both dry needling techniques that are commonly used by physiotherapists to treat many different conditions. IMS and IDN are similar in many ways, however their approach and training are slightly different.

Intramuscular Stimulation

IMS is a technique in which a health care practitioner has undergone specific training and obtained an IMS certification. The purpose of IMS is to use an acupuncture needle to insert into a tight muscle to cause relaxation or lengthening of the muscle. This would require inserting the acupuncture needle into the affected muscles or near the nerve root.

The basis of IMS is around neuropathic pain (a.k.a nerve pain). The founder of IMS (Dr. Gunn), outlines that a tightened muscle or muscle in spasm is caused by an irritation of the nerve supplying that muscle. Through inserting a needle into the affected area, it can cause immediate relaxation to the muscle supplied by the irritated nerve – ultimately increase nutrition to that nerve. This can be thought of restoring nerve function, or in layman’s terms re-setting your fuse box.

Integrated Dry Needling

IDN is a technique in which a health care practitioner has to undergo specific training as well. IDN is similar to IMS where an acupuncture needle is used to manipulate a muscle. It involves locating myofascial trigger points, in which will be where the acupuncture needle will be inserted. A myofascial trigger point is a hypersensitive spot within a tight band of muscle tissue. This will often be a tender spot to touch on a muscle, that may create pain in distant areas away from the tender spot (i.e. touching a sore spot on your shoulder, and feeling aching at your elbow). The physiotherapist will locate these myofascial trigger points (there is often times more than one) in your muscles, and will use these as targets for the dry needling.

The technique of dry needling creates a small therapeutic injury to the muscle, causing the muscle to grab onto the needle and contract. This type of stimulation can cause a spinal cord reaction, allowing the affected muscle to relax. This will also promote nutrition to the nerve and help to restore normal nerve function. At the same time, this reaction is causing increased circulation to the needled area which helps to bring in the tools to help encourage healing in the affected muscle.

These 2 treatment techniques seem quite similar, however they are vastly different. Acupuncture is a technique that stems from Traditional Chinese Medicine practices, that focuses on increase blood flow, improving inflammation and reducing pain. The needles are typically left inserted for around 10-20 minutes. Like dry needling, when combined with other treatment techniques, this can be an effective tool.