Trigger point therapy aims to treat a broad spectrum of inflammatory disorders, including inflammatory conditions such as muscle pain, nerve pain, and sciatica.
Although there is still no detailed research to show why it works, it appears the medication reduces the number of symptoms.
Trigger points may help relieve some of the seemingly minor symptoms. Symptoms often come downstream from triggers – like stomach pain, vertigo, ear ringing, and headaches.
Self-trigger point therapy is a massage technique that can be performed with or without the help of a therapist.
It is an effective way to relieve pain and tension by treating trigger points in some areas of muscle that are tight and tender.
When these areas are massaged, it can help to loosen the muscle and relieve chronic pain.
The trigger point release is the most common way of treating these issues when you have correctly diagnosed and identified the areas which may be a problem.
The technique is simple and can be performed as much as you feel it needs.
Benefits of Self-trigger Point Therapy
There are many benefits to self-trigger point therapy. Here’s how you can benefit from trigger point therapy.
- Relieve pain, tension, and stiffness in the muscles
- Removes trigger points, which are tight bands of muscle.
- It alleviates muscle and nerve pain.
- Relieves pain caused by chronic pain conditions
- Increases blood flow to the affected area, which aids in the body’s natural healing process.
- It can also help to improve the range of motion and flexibility
- Great way to reduce stress and promote relaxation.
The best part about self-massage is that it can be done in the comfort of your home!
2 Types of Trigger Points
Different types of trigger points are vital to knowing and understanding your pain.
Active Trigger Points
Your point of pain will give you symptoms at rest, it will be sore to touch, and it will also cause pain to be referred to another area that feels similar to the pain you experience at the sore trigger point.
Latent Trigger Points
There is no pain present, but it will cause a muscle to feel weaker and refer to pain when pressure is applied.
What Causes Trigger Points?
There are many reasons why you may have self-trigger point therapy. Here are some of the most common causes:
- Injury or trauma to the muscle
- Repetitive motions that strain the muscle
- Poor posture
- Disease or infection
- Nerve compression
- Inflammation
- Growth spurts (in children)
- Pregnancy
How to Perform Self-Trigger Point Therapy?
Now that you know what self-trigger point therapy is, how it works, and what benefits you can experience, let’s take a look at how to perform trigger point therapy.
To find the trigger points, palpate the muscle until you find a taut band. Once you’ve found the trigger point, apply pressure to the muscle with your thumb, fingers, or elbow.
You can also use a tennis ball, lacrosse ball, or foam roller. Hold for seconds and release.
You may feel the muscle release the tension, and the pain should start to dissipate. It’s important to breathe deeply during the self-massage.
Repeat this process until the pain is gone. You can perform self-trigger point therapy as often as needed.
If finding trigger points is too sore to massage, try icing the area for 10-15 minutes before rubbing.
When to Seek Professional Help?
Most times, self-trigger point therapy is all you need to relieve muscle pain. However, there are times when you should seek professional help.
If self-massage is not providing relief, if the pain is too intense, or if you have an underlying condition that may be causing the trigger points, it’s best to seek professional help.
A licensed massage therapist or physical therapist can help to provide relief and may be able to give you additional exercises or stretches to help relieve the pain.
Most Common Trigger Points
Trigger points are tender to the touch and can refer pain to distant body parts.
Lower Back
Another common trigger point is in the lower back. This area can become very tight and sore from sitting or standing.
Lower back trigger points can also be caused by lifting heavy objects during pregnancy.
To treat trigger points, you will need to locate them by feeling for muscle knots in the muscles on either side of the spine.
Once you have found the knots, you can begin to massage them using your fingers or a massage tool.
Shoulders
The shoulders are another common area for trigger points. These knots can be caused by poor posture, repetitive motions, or sitting in one position for too long.
To treat trigger points in the shoulders, you will need to locate them by feeling for muscle knots in the muscles on the top of the shoulders.
Once you have found the knots, you can begin to massage them using your fingers or a massage tool.
Neck
The neck is another common area for trigger points. These knots can be caused by poor posture, stress, or sleeping in an awkward position.
To treat trigger points in the neck, you will need to locate them by feeling for muscle knots in the muscles on the sides of the neck.
Trapezius muscle
This is the muscle that extends from the base of the neck to the shoulders.
The trapezius muscle is often very tight and can cause headaches, neck pain, and tension headaches.
Trigger points and muscle knots can occur anywhere in your body. Wherever there is muscle tissue, there may be a small area of tissue tension.
Trigger points feel like a taut band of skeletal muscle inside a muscle group.
These muscle knots develop when individual muscle fibers are over-stimulated and unable to release their contracted state.
This contraction reduces blood flow resulting in a diminished supply of oxygen and a build-up of metabolic waste.
The contracted muscle (trigger point) reacts by sending out pain signals.
Once you have found the knot, you can begin to massage it using your fingers or a massage tool.
Headaches
Headaches are often caused by trigger points in the head and neck muscles. These knots can be caused by
Conclusion
Self-trigger point therapy is a great way to relieve pain, tension, and muscle stiffness without seeing a therapist.
It is also a great way to improve the range of motion and reduce stress levels. If you are looking for a new way to relax and improve your overall health, consider self-trigger point therapy!
