What is trigger point therapy? Trigger point massage therapy can loosen tight muscles and relieve tension headaches. Massages have long been valuable sources for many consumers. For the most part, massages...
Massages have long been valuable sources for many consumers. For the most part, massages help treat several ailments such as pain and stress while helping to relax the muscles of the body. But in certain areas of pain, a regular massage may not be enough.
At times, the muscles in the body can tighten so that they cause tension in the body. These tightened muscles are referred to as trigger points. Trigger points are more commonly known as muscles knots and are very common in many people. Some of the main causes that would lead to trigger point therapy include bad posture, overexertion or an injury caused from a fall or an accident.
Greg Smith is the Director of Information and Outreach at the Colorado Institute of Massage Therapy. Smith has been practicing massage therapy for the last seven years and also serves as a fitness therapist and personal trainer. Smith has dealt with many clients that required trigger point therapy.
"Trigger point therapy is basically treating tight muscles that have recurring pain with a single point of pressure," he said. "The most famous trigger point in the body is in the upper shoulder area. That's where you get a tension headache. The problem is not actually in your temple, but it sure feels like it when it's throbbing. The issue is the muscle in the shoulder area."
"That muscle can sometimes hyper-irritate a nerve," Smith added. "When it does, the nerve wants to get our attention so it sends a pain signal up to the head."
Trigger point therapy and massages are commonly performed together to maximize the chances of finding an irritated point in the body. The two basic types of trigger points are latent and active. A latent trigger point exhibits pain when pressed against and do not send pain throughout other areas of the body. Latent trigger points have been known to be one of the causes of restricted joint mobility in many as they begin to age. An active trigger point also causes muscular pain. But the biggest difference is that an active trigger point will send pain and tenderness to other areas of the body when pressed.
Developed by American Dr. Janet Travell in the 1940s, trigger point therapy's purpose is to re-educate the muscles into a pain-free sequence. It's important for potential clients of trigger point therapy to understand that the swelling and stiffness will not leave in just one session. For best results, experts advise potential clients to expect several treatments to remove pain. After several treatments, many should see improvements in flexibility, less tension and improved coordination.
Commonly confused with acupressure points, trigger points are one of the biggest causes of disability and loss of time in the workplace. For optimum performance in treating trigger points, Smith suggests that potential clients visit a licensed expert.
"A neuromuscular therapist or trigger point therapist can find those key points and treat them properly," he said. "The value is that, if I come in and say my knee hurts, the therapist knows that the problem might actually be in an associated muscle around the knee. They'll know to check for areas other than just where I'm pointing."
