Trigger Point Massage: What You Need To Know

Trigger point massage is a technique used to release muscle tension. It consists of applying deep pressure to trigger points or taut bands in the body that are sore and often refer to pain elsewhere. Trigger point massage can be used by hand or elbow, forearm, knuckles, fists, thumbs, and fingers. This type of massage therapy has been shown to help with back problems and postural issues.

What is Trigger Point Massage and How Does It Work?

Trigger point massage is a unique technique commonly used for people who suffer from back pain and postural problems. Trigger point massage involves applying deep pressure to trigger points or taut bands in the body that are sore and refer to pain elsewhere. Trigger point massage can be used by hand or with various tools such as elbow, forearm, knuckles, fists, thumbs, and fingers

• What is a Trigger Point?

Trigger points are located at specific spots on the body where there is an accumulation of muscle tension. These areas may not necessarily show any physical signs. Still, when they're compressed, it causes other muscles to contract involuntarily, which leads to intense shooting pains and tightness throughout the area. 

• How to Get the Best Results from Trigger Point Massage?

Trigger Points can be located all over the body, but some of the most common points are found in your neck (upper trapezius muscle), lower back (psoas major muscle), and shoulders (trapezius muscles). To get the best results, find a qualified therapist who understands how trigger point massage works.

The person should have strong hands with lotion or oil to not cause any pain when applying this technique. If you've ever had someone try to fix your knots by digging into them with their fingernails, you know firsthand what not to do! When seeking out an appropriate therapist, make sure they come highly recommended by other clients or friends.

The key to getting the best results is receiving treatment from a qualified professional who understands how trigger point therapy works. A chiropractor or massage therapist are both great options for obtaining relief from tightness and sore muscles in all body areas, including the neck, lower back, and shoulders (trapezius).

• What Types of Conditions Can Trigger Point Massage Help With?

Many types of conditions respond well to this type of treatment, including carpal tunnel syndrome; frozen shoulder; headaches/migraines due to stress; cervical neck & upper spine disorders (upper crossed syndrome); sciatica; plantar fasciitis; shoulder pain.

Trigger points are knots in the muscle that send out a referral pattern to other parts of the body. They can be an indicator of stress, tension, or structural imbalances in your muscles. When someone experiences chronic pain from these trigger points, it is referred to as fibromyalgia. It may require more intensive treatments such as myofascial release therapy or deep tissue massage to help resolve them correctly.

• Who Might Benefit From This Treatment?

Trigger Point Massage is often used by athletes who experience frequent strains on their bodies and don't want interruption with their training schedule (or runners!). It also has excellent benefits for people living with chronic pain who need a way to have some relief without medication use.

Trigger Point Massage is quite effective for people with fibromyalgia because the treatment focuses on getting rid of these trigger points that are causing their symptoms. It's often used as a supplement or alternative therapy to more intense treatments like myofascial release massage and deep tissue massage, which can be too uncomfortable for someone already experiencing pain in most parts of their body. 

Trigger point massage targets those stubborn spots that don't respond well to other types of massages.

How Do I Find A Qualified Therapist?

Finding a qualified therapist can be difficult due to the vast number of practitioners out there. So what should you look for? First, ensure that your chosen PT or chiropractor has experience with injury rehabilitation and pain management.

Next, ask about their training inappropriate techniques such as trigger point massage therapy. Again, it's best if they have completed at least 30 hours of coursework in this area. A chiropractor or PT should also have training in stretching, strengthening, and manual techniques.

The therapist must be knowledgeable about what can be done to help you with your specific condition. For example, some pain management specialists might focus on one area of rehabilitation while others work with various conditions. Find out which would best suit your needs.

Before making an appointment, the next thing to consider is whether or not they specialize in soft tissue manipulation therapy for injuries such as whiplash or sciatica-related pain? A qualified practitioner like Dr. Zachary Langgle of Prime Health and Wellness in Downers Grove, IL, will understand how to target trigger points, tiny knots under the skin that cause muscle tightness and spasms throughout the body, causing chronic aches and pains.

Identifying this area will help you to reduce pain and regain mobility much quicker. In addition, when these are stimulated appropriately with gentle but firm pressure, they will relax, causing relief from chronic aches and pains all over your body.

Trigger point massages can be done by an individual who knows how or can also be performed at home using foam rollers that mold specific areas for self-treatment. The most important thing about this type of deep-tissue work is finding out what's going on inside the muscles so that appropriate exercises can be prescribed to keep them as healthy as possible.

You can also visit this website, phwchiro.com, to better understand the process and how this can be beneficial for your condition.

Who Should Get Trigger Point Massage?

People who have neck problems, shoulder pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, or other physical injuries that have to do with the muscles are often given trigger point massage. Trigger points can cause chronic muscle tension, and if massaged correctly, they will release their grip on the surrounding tissue and allow for a more natural range of movement.

An excellent way to identify whether or not this treatment is right for you is through a questionnaire designed by the American College of Sports Medicine. The questionnaire will determine your risk factors for developing chronic pain and whether or not you are dealing with any other medical conditions that may interfere with the treatment's progress.

Furthermore, most chiropractors offer free consultation services to determine whether or not a patient is a good candidate for trigger point massage.

Benefits of Trigger Point Massage

Trigger point massage is often used to help treat chronic pain by focusing on specific trigger points in muscles where there is a buildup of lactic acid, which causes tightness and spasms. 

When done adequately by knowledgeable hands, this technique can effectively reduce tension throughout the body without harming the patient's surrounding tissue.

It has been shown that after receiving long-term therapy from one particular therapist, patients had fewer feelings of anxiety, depression, and irritation than they did before treatment.

Several studies show how the process can be effectively used to treat PTSD and other mental health issues such as anxiety or depression.

This treatment is ideal for;

• reducing chronic pain
• helping with mental health issues
• lessening anxiety or depression
• effective treatment for PTSD
• neck pain
• tension headaches
• back pain

Common Conditions That Can Be treated With Trigger Point Massage

Some common conditions for which people may receive trigger point therapy include:

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: This condition affects the median nerve in your wrist and causes pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness. The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome are often worse at night or when you're trying to sleep (it is also possible for these symptoms to be present during the day). Trigger point therapy can help reduce pressure on the median nerve by releasing tight muscles around it.

Hip Pain: one common trigger for hip pain is when a person has weak glutes or even iliopsoas syndrome, which causes inflammation on either side of the spine near where it meets with the femur bone. The symptoms of this condition include weakness in walking short distances and difficulty sitting up from a lying down position because bending at the waist may cause significant pain. Trigger point therapy can help release tension in the iliopsoas muscle to relieve pain.

Low Back Pain: Low back pain is often caused by sedentary work, poor posture, or injury to one of your vertebrae (particularly the L-sutra). When you have tight muscles around your spine, it puts more pressure on these bones, causing inflammation, leading to lower back pain. Trigger points massage helps release this tension for relief from symptoms.

Frozen shoulder: a condition that often occurs in people over 40 and can last for months, even years. The symptoms of this illness include pain when moving your arm across the front or back of your body, as well as difficulty lifting it overhead. Trigger point therapy may help decrease inflammation by releasing tight muscles around the shoulder joint to restore mobility.

Headaches/Migraines Due To Stress: migraines are often caused by tight neck muscles, and trigger point therapy can help release this tension, relieving many of the symptoms associated with migraines. Headaches from stress typically have other causes, such as job-related pressure or emotional factors that need to be addressed in addition to any muscle tightness this might induce.

Iliotibial Band Syndrome: iliotibial band syndrome is a condition that develops when you exert too much pressure on your outer knee joint, which moves improperly over the femur (thigh bone). The symptoms may include pain on either side of your thigh near where it meets with the hip area, difficulty walking due to sensitivity around your kneecap, and even swelling after long periods sitting down. Trigger point therapy can help release the tension in these muscles to reduce pain.

Cervical Neck & Upper Spine Disorders (upper crossed syndrome): This condition often occurs when upper back muscles are tight, and the chest muscles are weak, causing neck pain or stiffness. Trigger point therapy can help release this tension to reduce symptoms like muscle spasms, headaches, and shoulder pain by returning stability to your spine.

Sciatica: this condition often affects people who have herniated discs in their lumbar spine that causes pressure on the sciatic nerve. You may experience pain down your leg, tingling, and numbness, as well as difficulty walking or standing for long periods without a break to rest. Trigger point therapy can help reduce this inflammation by releasing tight muscles pressing against the sciatic nerve.

Plantar fasciitis: this condition often occurs in people with tight calf muscles, which can stress the fascia that runs along the bottom of your foot. The symptoms are usually worse when you first wake up and gradually get less over time as it loosens. Trigger point therapy may help release this tension to reduce pain, swelling, or inflammation resulting from plantar fasciitis.

Shoulder Pain: trigger point therapy can help release tight muscles in your shoulder, back, and chest to relieve muscle spasms or inflammation. When these muscles are too tight, it puts more pressure on the joints, causing pain; trigger point therapy can also help relax any overly tight areas that may stress this area of the body.

Are There Precautions And Side Effects For This Type Of Massage?

Trigger point massage is a form of deep tissue massage that focuses on tight, tense muscles. This type of massage can treat conditions such as chronic pain and stiffness in the neck or back. However, trigger points are not usually felt with regular palpation and often require deeper pressure for release.

Trigger point massages should never be performed if you have sharp pains in your chest due to an unstable blood clotting disorder like hemophilia or leukemia. It could cause excessive bleeding from the areas where one has been forcibly manipulated by someone else who doesn't know what they're doing.

It's also worth noting that this therapy may make certain medical conditions worse without consultation with a doctor about the possible side effects of those specific issues.

• How Often Do I Need To Get Trigger Point Massage?

Trigger point massage should be done regularly to keep your muscles relaxed and pain-free. A good rule of thumb is once every week or two, depending on how much time you can spare.

• How Long Should The Session Usually Last?

A session usually lasts anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour. However, you may prefer shorter sessions if it's difficult for you to have someone working on tight muscles with their hands in contact with the skin for long periods. 

In this case, try alternating short trigger point massages with longer ones so that each muscle group gets attention periodically without overstressing any one part too often.

Tips For Getting the Most Of This Massage

The best way to get the most out of your trigger point massage is by doing a little research beforehand and picking up some tips. Here are a few that may be helpful:

• Find someone with experience who has access to different tools like foam rollers, tennis balls, or lacrosse balls for prehabilitation before you start working with them so that they can use their knowledge of what's been successful in the past.
• If it feels too painful at any time during treatment, tell them immediately and ask if there's anything else they might recommend. You don't want this type of discomfort getting worse through continued manipulation without knowing how to stop it from happening! ​​​​

Final Words

Trigger Point Massage is a beneficial form of therapy that can help ease pain in different body areas. It's also called myofascial release, and it has been used for over fifty years to improve one's quality of life. If you suffer from pain that affects the quality of your life, contact an expert to get started on a treatment plan.