Trigger point therapy is
a bodywork technique that involves the applying of pressure to tender
muscle tissue in order to relieve pain and
dysfunction in other parts of the body. Sometimes massage and trigger point
therapy are performed together. This
type of therapy targets the sore, irritable, tight spots in muscles called
trigger points. These trigger points can cause the whole muscle to be
tight and painful, or even restrict movement in a joint. They can also
"refer" pain to areas elsewhere in the body. In Trigger Point Therapy, the
massage therapist carefully seeks out the trigger points in muscles and uses
specific compression techniques which allow the trigger points to release.
The Trigger Point Therapy technique is often incorporated into most of my deep
tissue sessions, as the need arises, or when you describe specific areas in
which you want to relieve ongoing pain.
Trigger points are areas of tenderness in a muscle.
There are two basic types of trigger points: active and latent.
ACTIVE ~
Active trigger points cause muscular pain and will
refer pain and tenderness to another area of the body when pressure is applied.
LATENT ~
Latent trigger points only exhibit pain when
compressed, they do not refer pain to other areas of the body. Latent trigger
points are believed to be one of the causes of stiff joints and restricted range
of motion of old age.
Trigger points may be associated with myofascial pain
syndromes or
fibromyalgia.
Trigger points are very common. They are also referred to as muscle knots.
Trigger points differ from
acupressure points. Acupressure points are concentrations of energy or blockages
of the body's energy pathways. Trigger points are physical phenomena that can be
felt by touch.
The purpose of trigger point therapy is to eliminate
pain and to re-educate the muscles into pain-free habits. After several
treatments, the swelling and stiffness of neuromuscular pain is reduced, range
of motion is increased, tension is relieved, and circulation, flexibility and
coordination are improved.