GUNN IMS/Dry Needling

IMS may be helpful for people with muscle pain, stiffness, or limited movement. Your physiotherapist will assess you first to decide if IMS is a good option for your treatment.

Everyone's pain threshold is different and every therapist is a little different in their needling technique.  If a patient has been in a lot of chronic pain especially over a long period of time, their nervous system may be more sensitive and needling may be more painful.  In these situations, less is more.  If a patient were to consent to trying under these circumstances, I would suggest only 1-2 needles initially to see how they tolerate it, and I would not move the needles once in place. As the nervous system regulates down, the same patient would likely be able to tolerate more treatment in follow-up appointments. Individuals who having had their nervous system get sensitized, often tolerate IMS better.  It is important to remember, as with any treatment, a patient can give and withdrawal consent at anytime.  If you decide to proceed with IMS and have reached your tolerance for a treatment, you say the word, and the treatment stops.  

Possibly.  If the muscle twitches and reacts to the needle in treatment, there is a greater chance of soreness after.  If the treatment involves multiple needles in multiple areas and there is a lot of muscular reaction, you may be sore for 1-2 days after.  If you have plans or want to avoid this soreness, speak to your therapist about this and she can modify the treatment accordingly.  Also ask your therapist if applying heat after treatment would be appropriate for you.  

IMS may not be recommended if you:

• Do not want or cannot consent to treatment• Have a strong fear of needles• Have an infection or skin problem where the needle would go• Have a bleeding disorder or take certain blood-thinning medications• Have significant swelling (lymphedema) in the area• Have certain medical conditions where needling is not safe• Are pregnant• Have had major surgery in the past 3–6 months

There are some risks to be aware of. 

• There is a risk of bruising.  Rosie is very good at  missing big vessels, however you have small vessels all over your body, and sometimes they could be poked with a needle. This may cause a little bleeding and a possible bruise. In this instance a needle will feel "sharp", please let Rosie know the needle is sharp and she will remove it.  
• There is a risk of infection, but the chance is low.  Rosie wears gloves, uses single-use sterile needles, cleans your skin with alcohol swabs, and if the needle touches anything other than you, she throws it away.  
• There is a risk of pneumothorax (collapsed lung) - However,  this is very rare when IMS is done by a trained physiotherapist.  If you ever have needling done around your lungs, and after feel shortness of breath and/or are coughing - go to emergency, these are symptoms of pneumothorax.  
• Other less common side effects include dizziness or fainting.
• You could have some muscle soreness, tiredness or discomfort for 1-2 days.  

Its not advised to do physical activities after treatment on the day you have IMS. Let your body recover from treatment.  Please discuss further with your therapist if activity modifications are needed, or any if any restrictions of activities is advised during treatment.