Do You Have Trigger Point Problems?

Many people have not heard of trigger points, or have heard of them but don't know what they are. It is very common for people to develop some trigger point activity through occupational or recreational activities. The key thing about them is that they refer pain. This means a sore spot in one place, causes pain in another place.

Headaches are often trigger point related, they can cause dull tingling pain in the limbs, and the referral pattern for a trigger point deep in the buttock refers down the back of the leg and can be confused with sciatica. If you ever get nagging pains that come and go, or shooting pains, especially if they occur with specific movements or positions, its could be caused by trigger points.There is even evidence that trigger points are involved in some breathing and digestive problems.

A trigger point is a small part of muscle tissue held in contracture. This is a chemical and mechanical situation not mediated by the nervous system. They can be seen as an adaptive mechanism by which the body attempts to remain functional. Trigger point formation is thought to arise from tissue being held in a tight state for a long time. Without relaxing, the blood flow to the area is reduced and therefore nutrition to the cells is impeded and waste products are not removed.

As the waste products from muscle contraction build up a situation develops where Calcium ions reach a concentration which holds the muscle in a contacted state permanently at a cellular level. These cells haven't enough blood supply. This means that to treat them blood circulation must be restored to the area, so treatment involves pressure and movement to 'pump' and release the tissues, as well as stretching to return length to the muscle fibres that house the point.

The referral zones of trigger points often correspond to acupuncture channels, just as their locations often correspond to acupuncture points- one study found an 80% correlation between Travell's Trigger point charts and Chinese acupuncture point locations.

Trigger points form in muscle tissue that is held in a chronically tight state. This being the case, the initial cause of their formation is to do with body use and posture, so unless this is also adapted and integrated into the clients life, the likelihood is that even if successfully treated they will return unless lifestyle factors are addressed- exercises, posture and body use are all important parts of the healing process. It is important the therapist knows what they are doing, some more serious conditions have similar symptoms. Ask them what they know about trigger points and how they treat them.

Duncan McGechie BA MSc MBAcC MRCHM FHEA is an acupuncturist, Chinese herbalist and myofascial bodywork practitioner, and teacher who uses an integrated approach including techniques from sports massage, Tui Na, Thai yoga massage, neuromuscular approaches, qigong and pilates exercise principles in dealing with a wide range of conditions. www.acupuncturebodywork.co.uk