Monday 8 June 2015

Your Questions Answered About Trigger Points

When you are at Rebalance Myotherapy clinic you may hear Monica and myself constantly talking about Myofascial Trigger Points or Trigger Point Therapy and you are lying there thinking, "What on earth are they talking about!" Here I am going to give you quick overview of what we mean.
 
What is a myofascial trigger point?
A myofascial trigger point is a spot found in skeletal muscle where a palpable nodule can be felt that has an increased irritability and is also known as a “knot”. They are usually found within a taut band of muscle fibres and can elicit pain both locally and referred if compressed or stimulated.
There are two main types of trigger points categorised as either active or latent. An active trigger point typically will be symptomatic at rest as well as when it is stimulated. Trigger points can prevent full lengthening of the muscle, they can also produce referred pain and even a local twitch response when stimulated.
A latent trigger point is asymptomatic and will not cause pain when the muscle is at ease. However, when a latent trigger point is stimulated it can cause all the symptoms of an active trigger point.

What causes myofascial trigger points?
The causes of myofascial trigger point can be very widespread, from general overuse to poor nutrition or even stress. These factors are very hard to isolate and often go hand in hand. Frequently we see people with muscle imbalances and poor posture which can lead to chronic myofascial trigger points developing. Our goal is to treat the immediate pain of the trigger point while also addressing the underlying factor/s causing them to occur.

How does trigger point therapy work?
The aim of trigger point therapy is to remove and alleviate the pain associated with trigger points. We do this by using a range of techniques both hands on and with the use of dry needling. All the techniques we use are designed to increase blood flow to the area of the trigger point and in turn allow the muscle fibers to receive the nutrition they require to release and relax.

How can you (the patient) assist the trigger point therapy you receive from Rebalance Myotherapy?
After having a treatment with us, you will be asked to do some extra work on the area at home. This may include using a heat pack, self-massage, foam roller, spikey ball or even some good old fashioned stretching.  These are all things you can do to assist your recovery after your treatment and may help in the prevention of new trigger points forming.
 
If you have any questions or would like any more information on any musculoskeletal conditions please don’t hesitate to contact us at the clinic, 0418709904

 Rebalance Myotherapy Clinic