Reach Physio Solutions

I often get asked “What’s the difference between IMS & acupuncture?”

Friday, February 13th, 2009 | General | No Comments

IMS stands for Intra-Muscular Stimulation. It’s a technique developed right here in BC by a Vancouver physician named Dr. C. Chan Gunn. I came across this treatment modality in 2002 when I was a patient at a Delta physiotherapy clinic. At the time, I had been wavering a little with regards to my passion about physiotherapy, while struggling with a toothache type pain down my right leg that was only quieted when I lay down. This went on for 8 months. After 6-7 sessions of IMS, I began to see the light at the end of the tunnel and a new “career” was in sight!

I couldn’t WAIT to offer this modality to my clients! I was so stoked. To this day, I get teased about how I seem to “enjoy” needling patients, as if I am cruelly taking “pleasure” in causing pain but I ASSURE you, I get excited about the potential healing that’s available with these little needles.

Compared to acupuncture which has been around for hundreds of years, IMS is a relatively recent “invention”. The needles used are the same in both treatments but the application combines conventional (or Western) physiological and anatomical knowledge  with traditional (Eastern) techniques to produce a fusion, of sorts. I personally believe it’s a beautiful union of old with new, offering relief for clients who can not find any with regular physiotherapy or other body work, for example.

It’s application and success has been noted mostly in the reduction of chronic musculo-skeletal pain. Some examples of “conditions” treated with IMS are tennis elbow, low back pain,  fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel or frozen shoulders, to name but a few.

IMS involves the insertion of needles into muscles who’ve shortened or contracted. Creating a tiny “wound” in the muscle encourages blood and healing materials into the area of the overly tight muscle. While tight, it doesn’t heal properly which leads to the chronicity of the condition. The muscle being needled “grabs” onto the needle and after a while, relaxes. This continues for some time after the needling is complete. By “twiddling” the needle, a greater response can take place.

Patients who have heard of IMS after having had acupuncture sometimes refer to is as the “painful” kind of acupuncture. It’s true that the treatment isn’t exactly pleasant, whereas traditional acupuncture can be quite calming and soothing. What I tell these patients is that the “intention” of IMS is STIMULATION- ie. to trigger a spinal cord reaction. Insertion of a needling into a “healthy” muscles does not produce the same reaction as into a tightened or contracted muscle. Many of my clients are actually relieved when the needle re-creates or “accesses” they pain, which until that point had seemed elusive or untouchable. The reasons for this may be that the muscle is deeper than can be easily reached with other techniques (such as deep hip muscles or paraspinal muscles) or because the needling unleashes a REFERRED pain that is what the patient experiences.

Note: a referred pain is one that is felt in a distant location from it’s source, and can seem to be unrelated. When some cardiac patients have left arm pain, this is sometimes a referral from the heart muscle itself.

So, in the end, the main difference in the techniques, I always say, is the “theory behind the application”. Here’s an analogy for you:

A friend was telling me the other day about alternate uses for coffee filters…from covering food being cooked in a microwave from splattering to protecting carpets when kids are eating popsicles…in IMS treatment, an acupuncture needle is being used alternatively to it’s traditional designation in treating meridians (or channels of energy flow in the body). IMS uses knowledge of anatomy and a western type medical exam to choose the appropriate needle points.

I am in no position to say that one is BETTER than the other nor am I implying one is better than the other. It’s simply a different application of an ancient tool!

Dr. C. Chan Gunn

Sue Shalanski BScPT has been trained in CGIMS by Chan Gunn and his associate instructors, completing her training in 2003 and enjoying helping her clients move freer and with less pain since then!

Tags: acupuncture, CGIMS, chronic pain, IMS, intramuscular stimulation

28 Days of Heart Health

Sunday, February 1st, 2009 | 30 Day Challenge | No Comments

This a great calendar you can print out from Spark People. (You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to download this PDF.) 

Download it now: 28 Days of Heart Health

What people had to say about the 30 Day Challenge

Sunday, February 1st, 2009 | 30 Day Challenge | 3 Comments

“Hi Sue,  Firstly, Wow….you have been terrific to keep me going……………I had no idea how wonderful this journey was going to be………..you are the best.  xxxThank you for the daily …go girl go!!!

Here I am feeling so good about this whole 30 day especially because I am the oldest…and not only did I do the exercise but I was able to fulfill some of my own person goals…eating and drinking better!!!!

 I have had two back surgeries and with constant back pain….I am now feeling like I can catch that big 50 pound salmon and especially feel strong.  I am one size smaller but more important I feel and look better….everyone in my family including my husband say I look great..My husband who is my biggest supporter bought me an elliptical as a reward.   Yikes.

 I plan to continue this journey and with the help of you Sue and my inspirational trainer , Tina…I know I can do it….Thank you”

xxx Dianne

“I think that what sums up what I loved about the 30 day challenge is that it made me do something even when I could very easily have not.  One day last week I almost didn’t go to the gym but then I thought, “What will I put in my journal?”  Well, I went to the gym and had a really great workout and felt so good.

Thank you for doing this.  I hope there will be another one very soon”

Colleen

“The challenge is a great way to keep me motivated.I do enjoy exercising every day I feel so much better after a good work out.”  Carol R.

“It has been great for me.  I had surgery in October and got out of exercising and eating properly….then came the Christmas season.  Well instead of losing weight after surgery, I gained.  This program got me back exercising and eating properly.  When I don’t feel like exercising….I think about filling out the journal.  After a few weeks….if I have to miss a day, it bothers me….I don’t feel as refreshed.  Also, with exercising it has made me want to eat better.

Thanks, Jan”

“As requested, here are my “now” thoughts -

( now finishing 4th month of  this)

1) Initial EVERY SINGLE DAY x 30 DAYS Challenge  – was excellent for me – I needed that push at the beginning.

2) Longer term checking in – ( ie voluntary accountability), x  3 – 4 months I also needed.

3) This second 30 day challenge,   I have not managed “every day” – but I am content .

4) Looking back : I am very pleased with the benefits of having signed up for the longer term ; and I celebrate the good progress I have made – overall, stronger, more energized / better walking / better able to go up and down stairs / balance improved / decreased chronic pain / decreased night pain = better sleep etc etc. I have now settled into a consistent routine, 3 – 4 x /week of 30 – 50 minutes of swimming, with small but consistent increases in speed and distance. I am looking forward to continuing this, with or without Fitness Journal, and I look forward to more walking and hiking as trail conditions improve. I LOVE having this rich and full life !!!!

5) I will happily continue to use the Fitness Journal log-in for as long as it is available to me, although I am confident that I will be able to maintain my present activity pattern even without it.

6) What an amazing statistical piece of Fitness Journal trivia – I have logged 68 kilometers in the pool since this all started. Who’d'ave thunkut !

Thank-you for all your work, energy and  committment on this project  - from my perspective, it has been fun and rewarding, and I have really enjoyed getting to interact with you on a personal level.

I have also started encouraging some of my patients to seek this Fitness Challenge out for themselves – so I hope that you are able to continue this program.

Louise Martin”