Intramuscular Stimulation in Greenville, SC
Intramuscular Stimulation at IHP Greenville. Dr. Hendry, DAOM — NCBAHM-certified, 25+ yrs experience, hospital-credentialed. Call (864) 365-6156.
When standard dry needling isn't resolving the pain, the question I ask is whether the muscle shortening is myofascial or neurogenic. Gunn's model addresses the second case: a peripheral nerve that's been chronically irritated produces supersensitivity in the muscles it supplies, and those muscles shorten tonically without a conventional trigger point. The IMS assessment looks for skin rolling texture changes, shortened muscle bellies, and autonomic signs — not just the focal nodule. The needle goes into the muscle belly itself, looking for a stretch reflex response rather than a twitch.
How Intramuscular Stimulation Works
IMS assessment identifies shortened muscle bands through physical examination — looking for muscle belly shortening, skin rolling texture changes, and autonomic skin signs. Needles are inserted into the shortened muscle belly (often the muscle belly, not the focal trigger point), eliciting a stretch reflex response that indicates neural connection. This response is different from the LTR of conventional dry needling — it reflects the release of neuropathic muscle shortening.
Conditions Treated with Intramuscular Stimulation
Intramuscular Stimulation vs. Stretching and Physical Therapy for Neurogenic Muscle Shortening
Conventional physical therapy and stretching programs operate on a biomechanical model: lengthen the short structure, strengthen the weak antagonist, and restore range of motion through progressive loading. This model is well-supported for contractures of structural or postural origin. It is less effective when muscle shortening is driven by neuropathic input. A patient performing diligent stretching of a neurogenically shortened piriformis or quadratus lumborum is working against persistent abnormal motor neuron firing that no amount of passive elongation can override. Furlan et al. (Cochrane, 2005) noted that needling into the muscle belly provided outcomes that stretching programs alone could not replicate for deep segmental dysfunction. IMS works by inserting a fine needle into the shortened muscle, provoking a needle grasp reflex that momentarily intensifies then fully releases the contraction. This release normalizes the muscle length far more rapidly than progressive stretching, which typically requires weeks of consistency. We integrate IMS within a broader rehabilitation framework: once the neurogenic shortening is resolved, therapeutic exercise and postural retraining build the structural support needed to maintain the correction. The two approaches are complementary, but for neuropathic muscle shortening, IMS addresses the root cause first.
Research & Evidence
Intramuscular stimulation, or IMS, is a system developed by Dr. Chan Gunn based on the neuropathic model of musculoskeletal pain. When a peripheral nerve is partially or chronically irritated, the muscles it innervates develop supersensitivity, shortening tonically and generating a mechanical load on tendons, joints, and adjacent structures. This neurogenic shortening does not originate in the muscle itself but in the altered motor neuron input. Standard trigger point maps may not capture these neurogenically shortened bands, which require needle placement into the muscle belly at sites of maximum needle grasp, a sign of taut muscle resisting the needle. Furlan AD et al. (Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2005) reviewed acupuncture and dry needling for low back pain, finding evidence that needling into paraspinal and deep segmental muscles produced outcomes superior to sham and comparable to conventional physical therapy. IMS targets the radiculopathic segment directly, restoring motor neuron homeostasis and allowing the chronically shortened muscle to lengthen. The resulting reduction in compressive load on the underlying joint and disc constitutes a structural correction, not merely symptomatic relief.
Your First Appointment
IMS is particularly valuable for patients with neuropathic pain (burning, tingling, shooting pain), failed back surgery syndrome, or pain that has persisted beyond the expected healing time. Bring any nerve conduction studies, MRI reports, or prior pain management records.
Why Dr. Hendry for Intramuscular Stimulation
Dr. Hendry's understanding of neuropathic pain mechanisms — informed by his electroacupuncture research and Prisma Health experience — makes him especially well-suited to apply IMS principles for complex neuropathic presentations.