Why IMS Treatment Is a Game-Changer for Chronic Pain Sufferers

Approximately 8 million Canadians have suffered from chronic pain, which can be traced to physical damage to the body and lasts longer than three months. Simply put, it is pain that lasts even after the injury to the body that caused the pain has healed. Like some other health conditions, this affects people’s ability to carry out daily activities, physical and mental health, social interactions, and finances.

As chronic pain is not a visible condition, people suffering from it may feel isolated because others cannot see or understand what they’re experiencing. They may also hesitate to seek medical help because the pain is subjective.

However, chronic pain can be treated with medication, complementary therapy, rehabilitation, or other psychological procedures. Medications used include pain-relieving medicines like opioids, antidepressants, and muscle relaxants. Massage therapy, acupuncture, exercise, and yoga also help relieve nerve and muscle pain.

IMS (intramuscular stimulation) treatment is a medical therapy that uses acupuncture needles to release muscle tension and alleviate pain caused by chronic muscle and nerve dysfunction. It increases blood flow and releases hormones to relieve pain in the affected area.

What are the differences between IMS treatment and other forms of pain management?

In IMS treatment, a needle is inserted through the skin to the affected muscle, causing it to relax and improve blood flow to the area, thus returning the muscle to its normal function. In this way, IMS aims to treat the root cause of the pain, as opposed to other traditional pain management methods that focus on symptom relief.

IMS treatment involves using fine acupuncture needles inserted into specific trigger points within the muscle tissue. When muscles are injured, they can become tight and develop trigger points. Therefore, by using an acupuncture needle to stimulate the tightened muscle, the muscle can relax because the nerve that instructs your muscle on what to do is reset. This reset restores proper communication between that nerve and your shortened muscle, reducing the pain and improving movement.

Although IMS shares common factors with acupuncture (which is based on traditional Chinese medicine), these treatment methods differ in the size of the needle used, the sensation one feels during the procedures, the techniques used, and the purpose of the treatment.

In addition, while acupuncture is typically used to promote balance and overall wellness in the body to optimize healing, IMS is a more targeted treatment to alleviate conditions caused by irritated nerves.

What are the benefits of IMS treatment for chronic pain sufferers?

IMS treatment helps with many chronic pain problems, including low back pain, headaches, shin splints, shoulder injuries, and sports injuries.

IMS treatment is remarkable for treating the root cause of chronic pain instead of just temporarily alleviating the physical symptoms of pain (like painkillers). It does this by focusing on specific trigger points within the muscle tissue and restoring blood flow to the muscle. Without releasing the tightness in the muscles, physical stress will continue to constrict the outer joints, causing the pain to persist. Thus, this method allows for highly targeted treatment of the affected area. 

Another reason why IMS treatment is preferred for chronic pain is because it improves muscle function and flexibility, making it easier for patients to perform daily activities. It is also a non-invasive treatment option that does not require surgery or medication.

What to Expect During IMS Treatment for Chronic Pain Sufferers

An efficient treatment process always starts with a thorough assessment. Thus, during your IMS treatment, your therapist will conduct a thorough evaluation to identify the areas of muscle tension and nerve dysfunction causing the pain. In addition, you may have different tests carried out, including reflex testing, muscle strength, and motion range.

The physiotherapist will try to locate a trigger point in the muscle, and when they do, they insert an acupuncture needle into that trigger point. The patient may feel a slight tingling as the needle is inserted, but the treatment is generally not painful.

When the needle is inserted into a trigger point in your body, it may cause a muscle twitch response, which can feel like a brief muscle spasm. So, you may feel a deep ache or a twitching sensation as the physiotherapist moves the needle up and down through the tightened muscle. After the therapist has stimulated the tightened muscles, the needle will be removed. This process may be repeated several times through different trigger points.

The level of nerve dysfunction dictates the level of discomfort you may experience during the process and will decrease as the nerve returns to its normal function. After the process, you may feel sore in the areas of your body that were treated, and this can be relieved by placing heat on those areas. It is also likely to experience bruising from the needle inserted, but this typically heals quickly.

Try IMS Treatment for Chronic Pain Today

Living with chronic pain is no walk in the park because, among other things, it affects your daily activities, including enjoying recreation, and work. In addition, feeling the persisting pain can be confusing because the injury that led to the pain has already healed. Also, since there are no bodily pointers to the cause of the pain, it can be difficult for people to understand how you feel.

If you have experienced chronic pain and are looking for an efficient treatment method, then IMS treatment might be just what you need. IMS treatment is most effective for treating chronic pain caused by muscle and nerve dysfunction. If you have tried other forms of pain management, such as medication, physical therapy, or surgery, without success, then IMS is a great option to consider.

With IMS, you will likely see improvements after the first treatment, especially where the pain is one you recently experienced. It may also take three to four sessions to notice significant symptom improvements. Because IMS is a cumulative treatment, the effects are spaced throughout the healing process.

Before your IMS treatment, you must be in overall good health and free of any conditions that may interfere with the treatment process. Therefore, a physical evaluation with your therapist should involve discussions that cover these bases. 

Erin Gregory is a blogger in Toronto. She is currently working as a Community Manager for several small businesses. She has graduated with honors from the University of British Columbia with a dual degree in Business Administration and Creative Writing. When not working, she eagerly shares her wealth of knowledge about all things health and business solutions. Erin’s unique insight and expertise makes for powerful content.