Finding and Treating the Trigger Points

A myofascial trigger point is a hyper irritable spot in skeletal muscle that is associated with a hypersensitive, palpable nodule in a taut band. The spot is painful on compression, and can rise to characteristic referred pain, referred tenderness, motor dysfunction and autonomic phenomena.
A Trigger point develops when group of sarcomeres become stuck in a shortened position. The next mechanism by which this happen is not completely understood. However, some hypothesis suggest that dysfunction at motor endplates causes continuous release of calcium from the sarcoplasmic retinaculum. This causes sustained shortening of sarcomeres in the region of the trigger point. The sustained shortening of sarcomeres can increase the metabolic demand of the tissue, while also causing localized ischemia. This can give rise to the pain associated trigger points.

How can this happen?

Direct cause:
• Acute overload, such as heavy lifting or whiplash
• Over work fatigue, such as sustaining a work position for a long time.
• Direct trauma from falls and contusions.
Indirect trauma:
• Other Tr.P.
• Emotional distress, or other stress factors that increase sympathetic nervous system activity.
Onset may be rapid or gradual depending on the cause. (e.g. whiplash injury may cause rapid onset, while work posture may cause gradual). Trigger point are extremely common. They are non-inflammatory. While they contribute to a high resting tone of a muscle, they are not a spasm.
Symptoms are pain, limited range of motion of a joint, weakness, mood disturbance, sleep disturbance Etc..
Massage Therapist are very successful and very knowledgeable in treating and finding the Trigger Points within their practice. When you are going to your massage and if you are experiencing any of those symptoms that are mentioned above, so by just telling to your massage therapist the referral pain or just the pattern of the pain that you may present with, your therapist can determine and treat the exact trigger point that may causes this symptoms and to reduce or to eliminate the pain.