South Edmonton Location
Dry needling and IMS in Edmonton
Intramuscular stimulation for muscular pain and trigger points, used alongside exercise.
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What is dry needling?
Dry needling, also called intramuscular stimulation, places a fine filament needle into a taut band of muscle. Nothing is injected — the needle itself is the treatment, which is where the word dry comes from. It is used to reduce local muscular pain and tension, and it is delivered as part of a plan that includes exercise rather than as a treatment on its own.
How it differs from acupuncture
The needles are similar and the two are often confused. The reasoning behind them is not. Acupuncture works from traditional Chinese medicine and places needles at defined points along meridians. Dry needling works from anatomy: the needle goes into the muscle that is producing symptoms, identified by examination on the day.
Both are performed by practitioners with specific post-graduate training, and in Alberta physiotherapists must complete that training before using either.
What it feels like
Most people find it strange more than painful. You can ask the therapist to stop at any point, and needling is never the only option for a problem.
- The needle itself is usually barely felt going in — it is much finer than an injection needle
- A brief involuntary twitch of the muscle is common and is a normal response, not a complication
- A deep ache or cramping sensation during treatment, which settles within a minute or two
- Muscle soreness like the day after training, for roughly 24 to 48 hours afterwards
- Occasional small bruising at the needle site
When it is not appropriate
Tell your physiotherapist before treatment if any of these apply. Some rule needling out; others just change where and how it is used.
- You take blood thinners, or have a bleeding or clotting disorder
- You have a needle phobia or have fainted with needles before
- There is infection, an open wound or a rash over the area
- You are pregnant — some sites are avoided
- You have lymphedema in the limb, a compromised immune system, or metal implants in the area
Where it fits in the plan
Needling can reduce muscular pain enough to make movement and loading tolerable, which is its usefulness. It does not build capacity, so it is used to open the door rather than to walk through it.
If two or three sessions have produced no change at all, that is information: the plan should change rather than the needling continue.
Questions people ask
Does it hurt?
The insertion usually is not the part people notice. The twitch response and the deep ache during treatment are, and both are brief. Soreness afterwards feels like post-exercise soreness and settles within a day or two.
Is it the same as acupuncture?
Same style of needle, different reasoning. Acupuncture follows traditional Chinese medicine points; dry needling targets the muscle identified on examination. Some insurers treat them as separate benefits, so it is worth checking which your plan covers.
How many sessions will I need?
It varies, and it should not be open-ended. If there is no change after a few sessions, the useful response is to reassess rather than keep going.
Is it covered by insurance?
Usually, when performed by a physiotherapist as part of a physiotherapy appointment, though plans differ. Bring your plan details and the clinic can confirm before treatment rather than after.
Does dry needling hurt?
Most people feel a brief deep ache or twitch as the muscle responds, then relief. It is not like an injection; the needles are very fine. Some soreness for a day afterwards is common. Tell the physiotherapist if you would rather not have it; it is one tool among several.
Is dry needling the same as acupuncture?
Same type of needle, different reasoning. Dry needling targets tight muscle bands and trigger points identified on examination; acupuncture follows traditional Chinese medicine principles. Vertex offers both, with acupuncture provided by a Registered Acupuncturist.
Who provides IMS at Vertex?
Dawn Payne has been Gunn IMS trained since 2002, among the first in northern Alberta. Other physiotherapists here use dry needling as part of treatment. Ask when you book if you have a preference.
Book an assessment
Vertex Physiotherapy is at 6958 76 Ave NW #205, Edmonton, AB T6B 2R2. Call (825) 525-2852 or book online. Say at booking if you are interested in needling, so you are seen by a therapist trained in it.