Dry needling, also known as Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS), is frequently interchanged. Dry needling is comparable to acupuncture but differs from it in some critical ways. For one, dry needling is performed by a Physiotherapist only following a thorough physical examination and diagnosis.
Our Registered Physiotherapists are trained by certified teachers of Dry Needling recognized by the BC College of Physical Therapists.
The examination is critical because chronic pain is often neurological, as opposed to physical. That is, the affected areas are not detectable by X-ray, MRI, or CT scans.
Another distinction is that needles are only inserted into areas diagnosed as trigger points, not into a meridian designated by acupuncture theory and practice.
Thirdly, in dry needling, results and effects are usually experienced as soon as the needle is inserted into the trigger point. The initial examination will pinpoint areas of the body that need to be released and others that need to be strengthened. Balance is the key.
In the dry needling procedure, the practitioner inserts a needle through the skin into the trigger point. The contracted lump of muscle will twitch (local twitch response or LTR) slightly and then almost immediately lengthen and relax. The needle causes some very slight bleeding, which initiates a healing process at the site. The pain dissipates, and the muscle begins to function normally again. A complete dry needling procedure should also include some follow-up therapy.
Once the specific needle insertion has been completed and the muscle has been restored to its proper form and function, some physical training should be performed to assist in preventing the injury from recurring. Dry needling may be used in conjunction with other therapies, such as Functional Exercise Progression, to augment the overall efficiency of one’s physical motion.
120 – 700 Marine Drive, North Vancouver – V7M 1H3
Weekdays: 8 a.m.–7:30 p.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
Sunday: Closed