A trigger point (tp) is a focus of hyperirritability (small area of pain in tissue, usually muscle) that, when compressed, is locally painful and, if sufficiently hypersensitive, gives rise to referred pain. Trigger points may also cause phenomena such as constriction of localized blood vessels and changes in muscle tone. Additionally tp’s can also cause distortion of proprioception which is defined as a change in your perception of the movement of your body parts and their position relative to each other. This change in awareness of the movement of your body creates problems with balance and gait (the way you walk), range of motion of your joints, and strength of your muscles.

It is theorized that a trigger point is a build up of the products of muscle cell metabolism (waste material from the cells) which are not carried away normally secondary to prolonged muscle spasm which causes a decrease in the circulation to the local tissue. When these waste products build up within the muscle fibers they form an area of irritation that continues to irritate the muscle.

Myofascial trigger points are classified as either active (pain producing) or latent (non-pain producing). Latent trigger points, while not pain producing may cause restriction of movement and weakness of the affected muscle. A latent trigger point may persist for years after apparent recovery from injury and it predisposes the individual to acute attacks of pain from minor over stretching, overuse, or chilling of the muscle. In other words, both active and latent trigger points cause dysfunction, but only active trigger points cause pain.

Myofascial trigger points are frequently misdiagnosed as tendonitis or bursitis, because they refer pain and tenderness to regions where tendons and bursa are typically located.

Treatment of trigger points includes such techniques as “spray and stretch”, ultrasound, massage, and acupressure. In spray and stretch, muscles are sprayed with a vapo-coolant spray which produces a direct cooling of the affected muscle tissue. Once cooled, the muscle can then be reprogrammed to its normal function. The retraining of the muscle fibers produces a release of the spasm associated with the trigger point. Ultrasound, massage, and acupressure work to physically break up the trigger points, allowing the built up waste products to be distributed into the general circulation, and carried away. Once eliminated the irritation to the muscle ceases and the spasm can resolve, allowing for restoration of normal blood flow to the tissue.

At Northwest Wellness Center we have all the necessary therapies needed to work trigger points out and to reestablish normal muscle fiber function.