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Intramuscular Stimulation/Dry Needling

Intramuscular Stimulation/Dry Needling

Based on scientific neurophysiological principles, IMS is an effective treatment for acute and chronic pain of neuropathic origin. It involves the insertion of fine acupuncture type needles into the body where muscles have shortened or contracted. These locations are often the root of long term pain. While a muscle is tight and contracted it can’t heal properly; IMS stimulates a healing process and helps the muscle to relax.

IMS/Dry Needling is best suited to treat soft tissue pain with no obvious sign of ongoing tissue damage or inflammation; such as: neck/back pain, tennis elbow, frozen shoulder and fibromyalgia, amongst others. It is often effective when other forms of therapy have failed.

IMS is able to treat this neuropathic pain by desensitizing affected nerves and muscles using acupuncture needles. The needle activates a reflex causing the muscle to release and in doing so, eases the pain. Inserting the needle also creates a minor therapeutic injury to the area, stimulating the body to increase local circulation and activate its healing systems.

The technique is particularly effective for deep muscles that can be difficult or impossible to reach with other forms of treatment. For example, there are some muscles around the spine and pelvis that are too deep to be treated with massage and can only be addressed with a needle.

IMS directly treats the cause of the pain by relaxing the shortened muscle and allowing it to return to its normal state. The goal of treatment is to release muscle shortening which presses on and irritates the nerve. Super Sensitive areas can be desensitized and the persistent pull of shortened muscles released, thereby restoring motion and function. The effects of IMS are cumulative-each needling session stimulates a certain amount of healing, until eventually the condition can more fully recover and pain dissipates as muscles loosen. It is often successful in breaking the chronic cycle of pain because it permits accurate diagnosis of muscle shortening in deep muscles. It provides lasting relief and has few side effects. For more information, Contact our physiotherapists at Whitehorse, Yukon center.

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