How many IMS sessions will I need?

Many people notice a change within two to four sessions. Chronic or long-standing problems can take longer. IMS is used as one tool inside a wider physiotherapy assessment and treatment plan, not as a standalone course of treatment.

Is IMS covered by insurance in Vancouver?

IMS is performed by a physiotherapist as part of a physiotherapy appointment, so it is covered the same way your physiotherapy is. Envision Physiotherapy direct-bills most extended health plans, ICBC and WorkSafeBC at both Vancouver clinics.

Who should not have IMS dry needling?

IMS may not be appropriate if you are pregnant, take blood thinners, have a needle phobia, a local skin infection, or certain bleeding disorders. Your physiotherapist screens for these at your assessment and chooses the safest treatment for you.

IMS Dry Needling Vancouver | Envision Physiotherapy

Q: What is the difference between IMS and dry needling?

IMS (intramuscular stimulation) is a specific, neuropathic-pain-focused form of dry needling developed by Vancouver physician Dr Chan Gunn. All IMS is dry needling, but not all dry needling is IMS: general dry needling targets local trigger points in a muscle, while IMS treats the underlying nerve-root irritation (radiculopathy) that is causing muscles to shorten in the first place.

Q: Does IMS dry needling hurt?

When the needle reaches a tight band of muscle you feel a brief, deep cramp-like grab as the muscle releases. It is short-lived and most people describe it as a 'good' ache rather than sharp pain. Mild muscle soreness for a day or two afterward is normal.

About this service

IMS Dry Needling

IMS dry needling (intramuscular stimulation) is a specialised technique used by physiotherapists with post-graduate training in the use of acupuncture needles to release taut bands of muscles in your body. It was developed by a local physician, Dr Chan Gunn, and can be incredibly effective for treating chronic pain and tightness.

Envision has numerous physiotherapists trained to use dry needling as an integrated tool within your assessment and treatment. We have two physiotherapy clinic locations in Vancouver — South Granville and False Creek — to serve you.

Book Now

IMS dry needling treatment performed by a physiotherapist at Envision Physiotherapy Vancouver

In short

IMS is a form of dry needling we perform as physiotherapists. It treats the nerve-driven cause of chronic muscle pain, not just the local knot. We use it at both Vancouver clinics for stubborn tightness, tension headaches, tendon pain and sciatica.

Is IMS the same as dry needling?

All IMS is dry needling, but not all dry needling is IMS. General dry needling settles the local trigger point in a muscle. IMS — developed here in Vancouver by physician Dr Chan Gunn — goes further and treats the irritated nerve root that drives the muscle to shorten in the first place.

How It Helps

What IMS Treats

IMS works particularly well for muscular pain that has not responded to other treatments. It targets the root cause — the shortened, irritable muscle fibres themselves — rather than masking symptoms.

Chronic Muscle Tightness

Persistent muscle bands that don’t release with stretching or massage often respond rapidly to a few sessions of IMS.

Headaches & Neck Pain

Cervical and upper-trap trigger points are common drivers of tension headaches and chronic neck pain — both classic IMS targets.

Tendonopathies

Achilles, patellar, lateral elbow and rotator-cuff tendon issues often improve when the muscle pulling on the tendon is released.

Sciatica & Nerve-Related Pain

Dr Gunn’s technique is specifically designed to target neuropathic pain — pain driven by irritated nerve roots and the muscles they supply.

Common Question

IMS vs Dry Needling: What's the Difference?

Most people use the two terms interchangeably. They overlap, but they aren't the same thing — here is where IMS and conventional trigger-point dry needling part ways.

	IMS (Intramuscular Stimulation)	Conventional Dry Needling
What it targets	The irritated nerve root (radiculopathy) driving the muscle to shorten	The trigger point or taut band inside the muscle itself
Underlying model	Gunn's neuropathic / radiculopathy model — treats the nerve supply, not just the muscle	Trigger-point model — settles the painful spot directly
Where needles go	Both the tight muscle and the paraspinal muscles near the related nerve root	Directly into the symptomatic muscle's trigger point
Origin	Developed by Vancouver physician Dr Chan Gunn	Evolved from Western trigger-point and acupuncture research
Best suited to	Chronic, recurring or nerve-related pain (sciatica, persistent tightness, tendon issues)	Acute, localised muscle pain and single stubborn knots
Who performs it at Envision	Physiotherapists with post-graduate IMS certification	Physiotherapists trained in dry needling

The short version: all IMS is dry needling, but not all dry needling is IMS. When pain keeps coming back, or follows a nerve pattern down a limb, IMS is usually the better fit. Which technique suits you is a call your physiotherapist makes once they've assessed you — you don't have to figure it out beforehand.

FAQ

IMS Dry Needling: Common Questions

Does IMS dry needling hurt?

When the needle finds a tight band, the muscle grabs and twitches — a quick, deep, cramp-like sensation as it lets go. It passes in a second or two. Most people call it a "good" ache rather than sharp pain, and mild soreness for a day afterward is normal.

How many sessions will I need?

Most people feel a change within two to four sessions. Problems you've carried for years can take longer. We use IMS as one tool inside a wider physiotherapy plan — not a fixed course of treatment — so your physiotherapist reassesses as you go and stops the needling once it has done its job.

Is IMS covered by insurance?

IMS happens inside a regular physiotherapy appointment, so it's covered exactly the way your physiotherapy is — there's no separate fee for the needling. We direct-bill most extended health plans, ICBC and WorkSafeBC at both Vancouver clinics.

Who should not have IMS?

IMS isn't right for everyone. We may hold off if you're pregnant, on blood thinners, have a needle phobia, a skin infection over the area, or certain bleeding disorders. Your physiotherapist screens for all of this at the assessment — and if needling isn't a fit, there's always another way to treat the problem.

Our Team