In IMS, a thin acupuncture needle is inserted into a tight muscle band or trigger point (often described by patients as “knots”). This has multiple effects on the muscle including releasing muscle tension, stimulating tissue healing and “resetting” the nervous system.
To the patient it feels like a dull ache or pressure, followed by the sensation of release. Immediately after, patients notice that the muscles treated feel more relaxed, less sensitive and that mobility in the area is increased. This essentially “jump-starts” the nerve and muscle function, resulting in a reflex relaxation and a ‘reset’ of the nervous system. Tissue healing is also stimulated, with increased blood flow to the area.
Most patients do not describe the sensation as pain, but as an unusual sensation with an overall feeling of pressure followed by “release”. Immediately after, patients notice that the muscles treated feel more relaxed, less sensitive and that mobility in the area is increased.
The effects of IMS are typically longstanding and are cumulative from treatment to treatment.