One of the most commonly asked questions in our clinic is the difference between acupuncture vs. dry needling. Are they the same? If not, how are they different?
What is Dry Needling?
Dry needling is a therapeutic treatment technique used by health professionals like Physiotherapists to treat pain and tightness derived from muscles and tendons. It is “dry’ because no medications are being injected. You will often see the dry needling treatment described as Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS) because in the early 1990s, a physician from Vancouver, Canada invented the technique of using fine acupuncture needles to treat tight muscles that were causing pain. His name is Dr. Chan Gunn, hence the name GunnIMS or IMS for short.
The only similarities between acupuncture and IMS is the needles themselves. They both use acupuncture needles of varying lengths.
Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine
Traditional Chinese Acupuncture is itself a dry needling treatment since it does not inject any medications. However, unlike IMS, acupuncture originated in China thousands of years ago and is still being used today to treat many health conditions. Acupuncture is also based on traditional chinese medicine, whereas IMS is based on Western medical theories and principles
Traditional Chinese medicine is very complex and includes not only acupuncture but also tai chi and herbal products. They envision the human body as having an energy system called qi (pronounced “chi”) that flows through meridians or channels. The idea is that the qi can be blocked or imbalanced from an injury or it can cause disease. The idea of harmony or balance is pictured as “yin” and “yang.” Traditional Chinese Medicine will treat any and every human injury or disease from cancer and menopause to chronic pain to male pattern baldness!
Integrating Acupuncture and IMS in Physiotherapy Practice
When physiotherapists in Canada use acupuncture, they use it only within the professional scope of treating the musculoskeletal system. So, physiotherapists can treat with both acupuncture and IMS but they can only treat conditions affecting the neuromusculoskeletal system. A physiotherapist in Canada would never treat cancer itself but they can use either modality if the cancer affected the muscles and joints as a result of the disease.
All of our physiotherapists at Elevation Physiotherapy utilize IMS dry needling every day to treat pain and tightness stemming from muscles and tendons. However, it is always used in conjunction with an individualized exercise program, self-management strategies and a robust home exercise program.
If you are struggling with pain, give our clinic a call and let us help you Rise Again. Elevation Awaits!