Trigger Point Therapy
Trigger points are tight, sensitive spots in the muscles that can cause pain/ chronic pain or discomfort. This pain can occur at rest or during function. The pain may be felt at the trigger point itself or referred to another area of the body. Trigger Point Therapy works on these trigger points and the muscles involved, rather than simply applying pressure where the pain is felt.
What Causes Trigger Points?
Muscle overuse and injury are major factors in the development of trigger points. Repetitive movements—even light movements repeated over time—can overuse the same muscles and contribute to trigger point formation. Muscle strain, sudden injury, and other forms of muscle overload can also lead to the development of trigger points.
Why Is the Pain Sometimes Felt Somewhere Else?
Trigger points can cause referred pain, meaning pain may be felt in a different area from the trigger point that is causing it. Some of trigger point pain is not felt at the source area. This is why therapists who perform Trigger Point Therapy need an in-depth understanding of anatomy, muscle relationships, and referred pain patterns. Simply working on the area where it hurts may not address the problem.
Can Trigger Points Heal on Their Own?
Trigger points do not always go away on their own. Some may become less active with rest and reduced overuse, Â while others can continue to cause pain, tenderness, stiffness, or restricted movement. Repetitive activity and continued overuse may aggravate the affected muscles and make symptoms more persistent. As movement becomes restricted, the body may begin compensating by relying more heavily on other muscles.
Addressing persistent muscle pain and movement restrictions earlier may help prevent the problem from becoming more difficult to manage. If pain is severe, persistent, follows an injury, or involves numbness or weakness, medical evaluation may be needed to rule out other causes.
What to Expect During Trigger Point Therapy
Trigger Point Therapy is NOT a relaxation massage. Trigger points are highly sensitive and painful spots within muscles that can cause significant pain at the source while also referring pain to other areas of the body. The therapist locates trigger points through palpation and works directly on them, applying deep pressure to these sensitive areas within the muscles. The level of discomfort varies from person to person. Some people have a high pain tolerance and may tolerate the pressure well, while others may find the same type of pressure very painful.
What Happens After Treatment?
After deep pressure is applied to a trigger point, it gradually becomes smaller and less sensitive over time. With repeated sessions, trigger points may continue to decrease in size and tenderness as the involved muscles improve. Because this is deep work on sensitive muscle tissue, the muscles need time to recover between sessions. We generally allow at least 4–5 days before working deeply on the same muscles again. As the trigger points improve, normal muscle movement and function may also improve.Â
More Than Pain Relief
Overuse and injury can leave muscles tight, sensitive, and restricted. Trigger Point Therapy goes beyond pain relief. It aims to release soft-tissue restrictions so your muscles can work the way they're meant to, supporting better flexibility, strength, and ease of movement. It can also help correct muscle imbalances before they put extra stress on your joints.