Trigger Points

Often clients sit down to have a massage and are unaware how tight one area of there shoulder or neck is.  This is very common and here is why:

  • We only notice the worse area of pain – so if our right shoulder is more painful, we have a tendency to assume our left shoulder is OK.
  • Trigger Points

What are Trigger Points?

Trigger Points are hyper-irritable spots in muscle which are between 2mm – 10mm in diameter that are located frequently located where the nerves join the muscle fibers.  Active trigger points are always tender or painful, and often refer pain, so trigger points in only of the largest shoulder muscles the trapezius often refers pain up the side of the neck.  While latent trigger points are only painful when they are touched.  This is why when I work, sometime you discover areas of your shoulders that you didn’t know were painful, these are latent trigger points.

Trigger points can be found anywhere in the body but are extremely common in the shoulders.

So if latent trigger points are only painful when you touch them, do I need a massage to release them? 

The simple answer is yes as they may restrict your range of movement, so you will feel tightness if you try and rotate your shoulders or they can reduce the strength of your muscles, which puts more strain on your joints.

What causes trigger points?

There are several ideas about what causes trigger points but no agreed theory.  Below is a list of possible causes

  • Poor Posture
  • Muscle Damage
  • Nervous Tension
  • Physical Stress
  • Psyschological Stress
  • Environmental Factors – cold, damp
  • Illness
  • Lack of rest or sleep
  • Poor Diet

What are the symptoms of trigger points?

  • Restricted movement
  • Tension headaches
  • Referred pain
  • Painful movement of a joint or limb

How can I prevent trigger points forming?

  • Maintain good posture
  • Manage your stress
  • Follow a daily stretching routine

How can I get rid of my trigger points?

  • Acupuncture
  • Massage

 

 

 

Related Posts

  • Myofascia – part 2

    Last week I explained what myofascia is and how it can become restricted from, for example, poor posture. How to identify Myofascial Restrictions? It is important to acknowledge that it is difficult to diagnose myofascial restrictions as they do not show up on standard tests (x-rays, myelograms, CAT scans, electromyography etc). Massage therapists utilise their palpation skills to find myofascial restrictions. For example fascial drag, this is a very light press & slow technique to allow the therapist to feel the restrictions in the fascia. Who treats Myofascial Restrictions?

    1. Myofascial Release – Originated in the 1940’s. It is a specialised physical and manual therapy used for the effective treatment and rehabilitation of soft tissue and fascial tension and restrictions. John Barns a physical therapist based in the US is one of today’s leading lights in the world of myofascial release.
    2. Rolfing – Dr Ida Rolf, started working with client in the 1930’s and by the 1950’s was teaching her work under the name of Rolfing .   A physical therapy which aims to release stress patterns from the body.   It is normally to require a series of treatment often up to 10.
    3. Massage – massage therapists utilise direct and indirect technique to address Myofascial restrictions.
    With indirect Myofascial techniques you apply pressure and wait of the fascial to release, when you meet restriction you stretch the fascia. With direct Myofascial techniques you drag the fascia to create a Chinese burn sensation.   Hence why in clinic I often rely on the gentler indirect Myofascial techniques even when I know my clients prefer deep pressure.

  • What is NMT or Neuromuscular Technique?

    NMT (Neuromuscular Technique) is a soft tissue technique developed in the 1930's by Dr Stanley Lief.  NMT is the application of quasi-static pressure perpendicular to the skin with the aim of releasing pain and tension in muscles (normally in skeletal muscles). Neuromuscular Technique is used by

    • Physiotherapists
    • Osteopaths
    • Chiropractors
    • Massage Therapists
    A lot of clients will be familiar with NMT techniques from having either a sports massage, deep tissue massage or seated acupressure massage with Vitality Therapy.  We commonly use NMT when we treat
    • muscle spasms
    • muscle tension
    • aches & pains
    • trigger points
    When we have identified the problem area in your muscle, we apply pressure with our fingers, knuckles or elbows.  We often hold the static pressure for between several seconds to up to two minutes.  What we look for are non-verbal and verbal signals that the pain and tension are releasing. Is NMT Painful? When we apply the pressure, we aim for a "good pain" where you feel the right level of pressure is being applied to create the release.  Sometimes I ask clients to rate the pain on a scale of 0 to 10 to ensure that it is bearable and hence a "good pain".  

  • Why are my muscles rigid? Introduction

    Muscle rigidity refers to stiffness or tension in your muscles. Muscle rigidity characterized by the inability of the muscles to relax normally. The condition can affect any of [...]