IMS stands for intramuscular stimulation and is an anatomy specific form of acupuncture performed by specially trained medical providers. It has roots in traditional Chinese acupuncture, but is fundamentally different in many ways. IMS uses Western medicine’s understanding of pain and neurophysiology to identify underlying nerve irritations and treat chronic pain issues. The technique does use acupuncture needles, but focuses on stimulating muscles, deep to the skin, that are being held in a shortened state due to poor communication with its corresponding nerve. This is opposed to traditional acupuncture that focuses on pre-mapped out skin-surface points that relate to different organs and meridians of energy throughout the body. Traditional acupuncture can be very useful for the right condition, but it is not as purposeful or specific as IMS.

Much of chronic pain is rooted in poor communication that develops over time between the nerve and its corresponding muscle. When this is not properly addressed, patients cannot respond optimally to hands-on therapies or exercises. IMS helps to restore the proper communication between the nerves and muscles.