What Are Trigger Points?

Everyone has muscle pain from time to time. Usually the pain is resolved by resting the muscle for a few days. Unresolved muscle pain can result in latent or active trigger points.

Definition

• Trigger points are tight knots or fibrous bands that exist throughout our muscles. Active trigger points are the ones that cause pain and are usually tender to the touch.

Causes

• Trigger points can be caused by acute or chronic muscle overload from injuries, falls, poor posture, emotional and physical tension or overexertion.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of trigger points include tenderness, tingling or burning at the site of the trigger point, referred pain, stiff joints or restricted range of motion.

Treatments

• Trigger point therapy is a common way to treat trigger points. With trigger point therapy, the therapist applies direct pressure on the trigger point, usually for a few seconds. The purpose of the direct pressure is to break up the muscle fibers in the adhesions and get the trigger point to calm down, release its toxins and disappear. Trigger points can also be treated with trigger point injections, acupuncture or massage.

Prognosis

• It may take several sessions to get a trigger point to release. After a few sessions, the tender spots should start to subside and the sessions start to feel good.