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Trigger Points
What are Trigger Points?
 These small hypersensitive areas are very important to
identify and understand for those suffering from chronic
pain muscular patterns. Trigger points get laid down either
in the muscle or in the connective tissue. It acts as a
sympathetic excitation and bombards the central nervous
system with noxious impulses, often resulting in referred
pain. Often trigger points create is a vicious cycle of
pain/ muscle spasm/pain, which may perpetuate itself
indefinitely.
How does a trained massage therapist identify and treat Trigger Points?
- There is painful and limited motion in the effected
muscular area. The therapist will find that the pain
constant, severe and chronic when palpated.
- There is referred pain, distal to the tender area. The
referred pain creates a noxious stimulus, which results in
muscle contraction and spasm, which again leads to a
build-up of waste products.
- Acupuncture needles can penetrate the tender point &
drain out the noxious substance. Then the referred pain
pattern must be addressed & the sticky fascia entwining.
Trigger points are mistaken for bursitis, tendonitis,
arthritis and brachial neuritis. Most individuals seeing a
doctor for chronic trigger point pain are put on
anti-inflammatory or muscle relaxant drugs which can mask
over the symptoms.
Where do you find most Trigger Points?
They can develop anywhere in the body but they occur most
frequently at sites of the greatest mechanical stress. Most
often they occur in the shoulder girdle, neck and low back
and calf area.
What causes these Trigger Points to develop?
- Direct trauma to a muscle or joint, as in car accidents
- Repeated micro-trauma
- Poor nourishment to the muscle & connective tissue.
Dietary causes.
- Poor sleeping patterns / chronic insomnia sleep apnea.
- Nerve root injury
- Extreme psychic stress
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