What are Trigger Points?
Trigger Point Release
Trigger points are hyperirritable spots located in a taut band of skeletal muscle. They produce pain locally and in a referred pattern.
Why do I have trigger points? They often result from muscle trauma, injury or repetitive strain, poor posture, and stress. When the muscle is stressed it will often form a trigger point, like contracted knots, that cause pain and tightness.
Trigger point massage works extremely well for treating these painful knots. Done correctly, it shows results very quickly. The trigger points can be found by a massage therapist focusing on the taut muscle bands and locating small millimeter size nodules. The therapist will apply pressure to the knot, and in doing so there will be a slight increase in pain at the point. The pain lasts a few seconds then you can feel the trigger point melt and dissolve away decreasing pain and improving range of motion.
Other Methods to Treat Trigger Points
Dry Needling is done by a physical therapist, inserting a needle directly into the knot to relieve trigger points.
The spray and Stretch technique is done by a practitioner who sprays a skin refrigerant on the affected muscle then stretches it. The cooling spray creates temporary anesthesia and decreases pain so the muscle can be passively stretched further into its full range of motion.
Looking for more massage techniques? Check out my blog post on Reflexology here!
