Myofascial/Trigger Point Therapy
Trigger points are adhesions of tissue that develop when muscles are stressed or injured or over time and the trigger point begins to refer pain to other parts of the body. Trigger points may develop due to muscle strain from repetitive movements, postural strain from standing or sitting improperly for long periods, emotional stress, anxiety, allergies, nutritional deficiencies, inflammation, and toxins in the environment.
I would like to note the difference between an adhesion (tender/sore spot) and a trigger point. An adhesion and a trigger point shorten muscle fibers and can be painful when touched. However, a trigger point also refers pain to another part of the body. An example is when the muscle in the side of your neck (the scalenes) has a trigger point; it can refer pain down the side of your arm, around the border of your shoulder blade in the middle of your back, into your chest, and into your hand. You may think you have angina, painful back, injured arm or hand when the real problem is the muscle in the side of your neck.
It is important to release adhesions and trigger points not only because they shorten the muscle and cause pain, but over time, a reduced use of a muscle leads to muscle weakness. AltMD.com indicates that “trigger points prevent muscles from contracting correctly, making them seem weak,” and adds that “by clearing our trigger points, we can return the full ability of our muscles to provide strength, balance and faster recovery from exercise.”
Trigger Points can be the root cause of any of the following symptoms:
- Back pain
- Headaches
- Neck pain
- Rotator cuff (shoulder) pain
- Jaw pain (TMJD)
- Tennis elbow
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Hand and arm pain
- Repetitive strain injuries
- Pelvic pain
- Hip pain
- “Sciatic” pain (buttock pain)
- Leg and knee pain
- Plantar fasciitis (foot) pain
- Tendinitis/tendinopathy
- Bursitis, arthritis
- Disc pain (bulge/rupture/herniation) and radiculopathy
- Frozen shoulder
- Fibromyalgia
History
Janet G. Travell, MD, was a pioneer in the development of trigger point pain treatment. She was President John F. Kennedy’s personal White House physician. She relieved his severe and chronic back pain. Dr. Travell’s research demonstrated that each trigger point in a muscle has a specific pattern of referred pain. Dr. Travell and Dr. David Simons have co-authored trigger point books used by many manual therapists.
Benefits of Trigger Point Therapy
- Decreases pain
- Strengthens the immune system
- Improves nerve function
- Increases blood circulation
Many patients experience pain relief during the first treatment. For others several treatments are needed before their pain starts to diminish. It is common for patients to experience some soreness for one to two days after treatment. Your rate of improvement depends on numerous conditions:
- Type and length of time injured
- Overall physical health
- Level of fitness
- Underlying skeletal abnormalities
- Nutrition
- Quality of sleep
- Depression or anxiety
- Patient compliance with self-care
- Other medical conditions
**Trigger Point Therapy is a complement to standard medical care. It should not be construed as medical advice. It should not be a replacement to medical help.**
To schedule your Trigger Point Massage – Call Us Today 864-567-5901