What are “trigger points,” and how do you know if you have one?
Jackie Manning, ARNP
X marks the spot! There’s a lot of talk floating around these days about “being triggered.” Emotionally, this refers to the discomfort felt when a sensitive issue comes up in conversation. The cause is usually past trauma. Physically, a trigger point has a similar meaning!
It’s that sore or painful spot that when touched, makes you yelp out or scream “ouch!” A trigger point is most often described as a hyperirritable spot, a taut band of skeletal muscle fascia, a local tenderness, or a referred pain. Trigger points are found in various areas of the body. From what we see in PT, the most common areas for trigger spots are the upper back and neck areas, but these pesky spots can flare up in other areas as well.
| CHARACTERISTICS OF TRIGGER POINTS:What are the symptoms of a trigger point, and how do you know when you have one? In simple terms, trigger points can cause sensations ranging from pain and tingling, to burning, weakness, and restricted motion.
Trigger point pain most often occurs due to muscle overuse, muscle trauma or even habitually poor posture. Repetitive activities such as, lifting heavy objects at work or working on a computer all day. Muscle trauma can occur from an auto accident or a sports injury, like a collision or a fall. The tenderness or twitching can be right at the site of the trouble spot or show up more as “referred” pain, which is a patterned discomfort radiating to a spot distant from the actual point of impact. HOW TO TARGET THE TRIGGER POINT FOR RELIEF: Have you been triggered? Strive offers various options in the treatment of pain such as: Trigger Point Injections, Physical Therapy, Massage Therapy, Chiropractic Therapy, and much more. CONTACT US TO SCHEDULE AN EVALUATION (that often can be done via telehealth) TO DETERMINE THE TREATMENT THAT IS BEST FOR YOU. WE’LL TARGET YOUR TRIGGER AND SEND THE PAIN PACKING. |
