A Plain-Language Guide to TCM Acupuncture, Dry Needling, Neurofunctional Acupuncture, and Gunn IMS — and How We Use All of Them at Progressive Rehab
You’ve probably heard the word “acupuncture” used to describe a lot of different things. Maybe your physiotherapist does it. Maybe your chiropractor has mentioned it. Maybe you’ve seen a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner who uses it as part of a broader treatment system involving tongue diagnosis, pulse-taking, and herbal medicine. And maybe — like many of our patients — you’ve wondered whether these are actually the same thing, or completely different.
The short answer: they all use needles. But they’re rooted in different philosophies, target different structures, and are recommended for different clinical situations.
At Progressive Rehab, we’re in a somewhat unique position — we have Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists, physiotherapists trained in dry needling and neurofunctional acupuncture, and chiropractors who integrate needling into their musculoskeletal practice. That means we can have a genuinely informed conversation about which approach is right for you — not just the one our clinicians happen to do.
Here’s what you need to know.
First: What Do All These Approaches Have in Common?
All of the methods described in this article use fine, sterile, single-use filament needles — much thinner than the kind used for injections. None of them inject any substance. All of them, in different ways, stimulate a physiological response in the body.
The growing body of neuroscience research tells us that needling — regardless of the tradition it comes from — activates sensory nerve fibers, triggers the release of endogenous opioids (your body’s natural pain-relieving chemicals), modulates activity in the autonomic nervous system, and influences pain processing in the brain and spinal cord. Where the approaches diverge is in how they select needle sites, why they place needles where they do, and what clinical problem they’re primarily designed to address.
1. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Acupuncture
The tradition: Over 2,000 years old, originating in ancient China, and now practiced and regulated across the world. In Ontario, TCM practitioners and Registered Acupuncturists are regulated by the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of Ontario (CTCMPAO). Only Registered TCM Practitioners (R.TCMP) and Registered Acupuncturists (R.Ac.) can legally practice and diagnose using TCM principles in this province.
The philosophy: TCM is built on the theory of Qi (pronounced “chee”) — the life force or vital energy that flows through the body along pathways called meridians. There are 14 primary meridians and 361 commonly used acupuncture points. When Qi flows freely, the body is healthy. When it stagnates, is deficient, or becomes imbalanced between opposing forces (Yin and Yang), illness and pain arise.
TCM diagnosis goes well beyond asking where it hurts. Your TCM practitioner will examine your tongue — its colour, shape, and coating — and take your pulse at the wrist using three positions on each side, each associated with different organ systems. They’ll ask about your energy levels, sleep, digestion, emotional state, and how your symptoms change with season, temperature, and time of day. The resulting diagnosis is a full picture of your body’s patterns, not just a label for your symptoms.
What treatment looks like: Fine needles are placed along meridian pathways, sometimes far from where you feel pain — because in TCM, the site of pain is not always the site of the problem. Needles are typically retained for 20 to 40 minutes, and patients commonly describe a deeply relaxed, sometimes almost meditative state during treatment. Additional modalities a TCM practitioner may incorporate heat therapy, cupping, gua sha, Tui Na (Chinese therapeutic massage), and herbal medicine.
What it’s commonly used for: Chronic and acute pain, headaches, migraines, digestive disorders, stress and anxiety, hormonal imbalance, insomnia, fatigue, respiratory conditions, and general wellness maintenance. TCM is also widely used in oncology care and women’s health.
The science: Western research has increasingly validated what TCM practitioners have observed clinically for millennia. Neuro-imaging studies show that acupuncture produces measurable activity across widespread brain regions involved in pain processing, emotion, and autonomic regulation. Research has demonstrated that needling stimulates the release of endorphins, serotonin, and other neurotransmitters, modulates the autonomic nervous system, and has demonstrable anti-inflammatory effects.
At Progressive Rehab: Our Registered TCM Practitioners offer comprehensive TCM assessment and acupuncture treatment. If your concerns are complex, systemic, or you’re interested in a whole-body, energetically-grounded approach, this is where to start. Book a TCM consultation →
2. Dry Needling
The origin: Dry needling emerged from Western medicine in the mid-20th century, growing substantially from the work of Dr. Janet Travell — the physician who developed the theory of myofascial trigger points. Her research identified that specific tight, tender knots in muscle tissue (trigger points) were a primary source of local and referred pain, and that needling these points directly could produce rapid relief.
The philosophy: There is no concept of Qi, meridians, or energetic balance in dry needling. The framework is purely anatomical and biomechanical. A tight, dysfunctional muscle has trigger points — taut bands of contracted muscle fibers that restrict movement, generate local tenderness, and can refer pain to other areas of the body. The needle targets these trigger points directly.
What treatment looks like: The physiotherapist or chiropractor inserts a fine filament needle into the trigger point, often eliciting a brief, involuntary twitch response in the muscle — a good sign that the correct tissue has been engaged. The muscle then releases. Needles may be moved or repositioned to address multiple trigger points within a session. Treatment is typically shorter than TCM acupuncture — sessions often 10 to 20 minutes — and the experience tends to be more physically direct, though not painful in the conventional sense.
What it’s commonly used for: Muscle pain, tension, myofascial pain syndrome, restricted range of motion, repetitive strain injuries, neck and shoulder pain, lower back pain, sports injuries, and tension-type headaches. Dry needling is especially effective when there are clearly identifiable trigger points driving the patient’s symptoms.
Who performs it at our clinic: Our physiotherapists and chiropractors who have completed certified dry needling training. In Ontario, regulated health professionals including physiotherapists and chiropractors are authorized to perform dry needling within their scope of practice — but as the CTCMPAO notes, dry needling practitioners are not equivalent to Registered Acupuncturists and do not use or require TCM training. Different training, different scope, different strengths.
At Progressive Rehab: If you have muscle tension, trigger points, or musculoskeletal pain that isn’t resolving with manual therapy alone, dry needling may be the missing piece. Ask your physio or chiro about dry needling at your next visit →
3. Gunn IMS — Intramuscular Stimulation
The origin: Intramuscular Stimulation was developed in the 1970s by Dr. Chan Gunn, a physician working with the Workers’ Compensation Board of British Columbia. Frustrated by the number of chronic pain patients who didn’t improve despite normal imaging results, Dr. Gunn developed a new model to explain persistent musculoskeletal pain — one rooted not in structural damage, but in neuropathic dysfunction. He was awarded the Order of Canada for his work, and the Gunn IMS certification program has been housed at the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine since 2011.
The philosophy: Gunn IMS is grounded in the neuropathic model of pain. When a nerve becomes irritated or sensitized — whether from injury, postural stress, degeneration, or disc pathology — the muscles that nerve supplies become chronically shortened, tight, and supersensitive. This isn’t just muscle tension in the ordinary sense. It’s a neurological state: the shortened muscles create mechanical pressure that further irritates the nerve root, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of pain that doesn’t resolve on its own and often doesn’t respond to massage, exercise, or conventional treatment alone.
The defining insight of Gunn IMS is this: treat the nerve, and the muscle will follow. A practitioner doesn’t just needle where it hurts — they assess the entire body for signs of neuropathic change, trace the nerve supply, and needle both the affected muscles and the spinal level from which those nerves originate. It is a whole-body diagnostic and treatment system, not just a needling technique.
What treatment looks like: Gunn IMS begins with a thorough physical examination — balance, range of motion, neurological signs, and palpation of muscles throughout the body, not just at the site of pain. When a needle enters a shortened, neuropathically affected muscle, the patient often feels a cramping or deep aching sensation — the muscle “grasping” the needle — followed by a release. This is the target response. Unlike dry needling, where needles may be retained, IMS needles are typically inserted and removed quickly. Sessions may look shorter but are clinically intensive.
What it’s commonly used for: Chronic pain conditions that haven’t responded to other treatments, neuropathic pain, radiculopathy (nerve root pain from the spine), chronic low back pain, persistent shoulder and neck conditions, sciatica, repetitive strain injuries, and post-surgical pain syndromes. IMS is particularly powerful for patients who have been told their imaging looks normal yet continue to suffer.
How it differs from dry needling: Dry needling targets trigger points in the muscle itself. Gunn IMS targets the neuropathic dysfunction driving those trigger points — including the spinal nerve roots, the paraspinal muscles of the spine, and the segmental nerve supply to affected regions. IMS requires a higher level of training and a more complex assessment process. As Dr. Gunn’s program notes, the goal is “minimum effective dose” — precise treatment guided by a thorough understanding of neuroanatomy.
At Progressive Rehab: Our physiotherapists and chiropractors trained in Gunn IMS are skilled in identifying the neuropathic patterns driving chronic, stubborn pain. If you’ve tried everything and still aren’t better, this conversation is worth having. Book an IMS assessment at Progressive Rehab →
4. Neurofunctional Acupuncture — Where East Meets West
What it is: Neurofunctional acupuncture is perhaps the most integrative of the four approaches. It uses a contemporary understanding of neuroanatomy and physiology — peripheral nervous system function, spinal segmental anatomy, and the science of pain modulation — to explain and guide needle placement that often aligns closely with traditional acupuncture point locations.
The underlying insight is that the nervous system connects everything. Needle stimulation, wherever it’s placed, activates sensory nerve fibers (specifically Aδ and C fibers), transmits signals through the spinal cord, and produces modulating effects throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems — including activation of descending pain inhibitory pathways, release of neurotransmitters, and regulation of the autonomic nervous system. Neurofunctional acupuncture uses this understanding to craft treatment strategies for musculoskeletal and neurological conditions.
What makes this approach particularly powerful at Progressive Rehab is how we apply it: our physiotherapists and chiropractors trained in neurofunctional acupuncture don’t abandon the wisdom in TCM point locations. Instead, they understand why those locations work — because many classical acupuncture points sit directly over nerve trunks, motor points, or areas of high sensory innervation. The meridian system, viewed through a neuroanatomical lens, maps remarkably well onto the nervous system’s architecture.
The integration: When our clinicians combine neurofunctional acupuncture with TCM-informed point selection, they’re working simultaneously with the scientific mechanisms of nerve stimulation and the clinical wisdom of thousands of years of empirical observation. The result is a treatment approach that is both deeply evidence-based and holistically informed.
What it’s commonly used for: Musculoskeletal conditions with a neurological component, chronic pain, post-concussion syndrome, headaches (including cervicogenic and tension-type), fibromyalgia, nerve pain, and cases where multiple body systems need to be addressed simultaneously.
At Progressive Rehab: Our integrated approach means your physiotherapist or chiropractor can incorporate neurofunctional acupuncture alongside manual therapy, exercise prescription, and spinal rehabilitation — all within a single treatment plan. Learn more about our acupuncture services →
So Which One Do You Need?
Here’s a simplified way to think about it:
Choose TCM Acupuncture if: You’re dealing with a complex, chronic, or systemic condition — pain that seems tied to stress, sleep, digestion, or hormones. You want a whole-person, whole-body approach. You’re interested in Chinese herbal medicine, cupping, or heat alongside your needling. You value a practitioner who looks at your tongue and takes your pulse.
Choose Dry Needling if: You have clearly identifiable muscle tension, trigger points, and a musculoskeletal problem driving your pain. You’ve been seeing a physiotherapist or chiropractor and there’s a specific tight muscle that isn’t releasing. Your issue is relatively local and mechanical.
Choose Gunn IMS if: Your pain has been going on for a long time, doesn’t respond to standard treatment, and may be driven by nerve dysfunction. You have signs of neuropathic involvement — burning, tingling, hypersensitivity, or pain in patterns that follow nerve distributions. You’ve had normal imaging results but are still suffering.
Choose Neurofunctional Acupuncture if: You want a science-backed needling approach that integrates the strengths of both Western and Eastern traditions. You’re working with a physio or chiro who incorporates needling into a comprehensive rehabilitation plan.
Or — come in and let us figure it out together. Honestly, many patients benefit from more than one of these approaches, sometimes in the same visit. That’s the advantage of having all of these clinicians under one roof.
Is Acupuncture Safe?
When performed by trained and credentialed practitioners using sterile, single-use needles, acupuncture and its related approaches are very safe. Side effects are generally mild and temporary — some soreness or bruising at needle sites, occasional light-headedness after treatment. Serious adverse events are rare.
Tell your practitioner if you: are pregnant, have a pacemaker, are taking blood thinners, or have any infections or skin conditions near the treatment area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it hurt? Not in the conventional sense. TCM acupuncture is generally very gentle — patients often fall asleep during treatment. Dry needling and IMS can involve a brief cramping or “muscle grabbing” sensation when a trigger point or tight muscle is engaged, which most patients find quite tolerable and actually reassuring that the right tissue has been found.
How many sessions will I need? It depends on your condition, how long you’ve had it, and how your body responds. Many people notice improvement within 3 to 6 sessions. Chronic or complex conditions may require more. Your clinician will give you a realistic picture after your first assessment.
Is acupuncture covered by insurance? TCM acupuncture performed by a Registered Acupuncturist (R.Ac.) or R.TCMP is covered by most extended health benefit plans under “Acupuncture” benefit categories, which is often separate from Physiotherapy and Chiropractic coverage limits. Acupuncture performed by physiotherapists and chiropractors are covered under your physio or chiro benefits. Check your specific plan — our admin team can help you confirm.
Can I combine acupuncture with my other treatments? Absolutely. In fact, at Progressive Rehab this is the norm. Needling integrates extremely well with manual therapy, exercise rehabilitation, spinal treatment, and medical management. More often than not, a combined approach gets better results than any single treatment in isolation.
Ready to Find the Right Approach for You?
You don’t need to figure this out on your own. Our team — which includes Registered TCM Practitioners, physiotherapists, and chiropractors with specialized needling training — will assess your situation and recommend the right approach for your condition, your goals, and your comfort level.
Here’s how to get started:
📋 Book an Assessment Online — no referral needed, fast and easy
📞 Call us to speak with a member of our team about which provider is the best fit
🌐 Explore our full range of services at progressiverehab.ca
This blog post is intended for educational purposes and does not replace individualized clinical advice. All needling treatments at Progressive Rehab are performed by regulated and trained healthcare professionals. If you have questions about your specific condition, please book a consultation.
Progressive Rehab | progressiverehab.ca | Physiotherapy · Chiropractic · Traditional Chinese Medicine · Acupuncture · Concussion Rehab · Rehabilitation