What Is Dry Needling?
Dry needling — also called Intramuscular Stimulation, or IMS — uses fine acupuncture-style needles, but the similarity to acupuncture is mostly in the tool, not the technique. Where acupuncture works from traditional meridian points, dry needling is placed directly into tight muscle bands and trigger points, based on your specific anatomy and where your pain actually is.
How it works :
Trigger points are small, irritable knots in a muscle that can cause pain both locally and in referred areas elsewhere in the body. Research has found these points are chemically different from healthy muscle tissue — more acidic, with a buildup of irritating metabolites. The needle works mechanically, breaking apart the tightened muscle band, and often produces a brief “twitch response” — an involuntary muscle contraction that, while momentarily unusual, signals the trigger point releasing.
IMS may help with :
- Chronic neck and shoulder tension
- Tension-type headaches
- Tennis and golfer's elbow
- Lower back pain with muscular involvement
- Sciatic-type leg pain from muscular referral
- Rotator cuff-related shoulder pain
- Jaw and TMJ-related muscle tension
What to expect at your visit?
Each needle is placed for only a few seconds. A healthy muscle barely registers it — if a trigger point is present, you'll likely feel that brief twitch response, similar to a muscle cramp. It's unexpected the first time but not painful in the way people often assume. Multiple points may be treated in one session, and afterward you may feel some soreness or light bruising for a day or so — this is normal and usually mild.
After Treatment:
You may feel achy for up to three days, though most patients only notice discomfort for a few hours. A heating pad, gentle stretching, and light activity usually help. Results build over a short course of sessions rather than appearing after just one visit, though many patients notice a difference early on.
Frequently Asked Questions
The tools look similar, but the approach is different — dry needling targets specific muscle trigger points based on your pain pattern, rather than traditional acupuncture points.
Some mild soreness for a day or two is common and expected — it's muscular, not a sign anything went wrong.
Source: Physiopedia notes that while dry needling has a well-established safety profile when performed by trained practitioners, patients should always be informed of expected effects before treatment — which is exactly what we walk through at your first visit.
Take the next step.
Book your appointment. Serving Surrey & North Delta. Book online or call 778-590-4243.
