Activation of trigger points may be caused by a number of factors, including acute or chronic muscle overload, activation by other trigger points (key/satellite, primary/secondary), disease, psychological distress (via systemic inflammation), homeostatic imbalances, direct trauma to the region, collision trauma (such as a car crash which stresses many muscles and causes instant trigger points) radiculopathy, infections and health issues such as smoking.
Pain related to a discrete, irritable point in skeletal muscle or fascia, not caused by acute local trauma, inflammation, degeneration, neoplasm or infection.
The painful point can be felt as a nodule or band in the muscle, and a twitch response can be elicited on stimulation of the trigger point.
Palpation of the trigger point reproduces the patient’s complaint of pain, and the pain radiates in a distribution typical of the specific muscle harboring the trigger point.
fascial connective tissue runs throughout all the bodies layers. It gives the body shape and function. Fascial litterally connects every part of your together. During movement when one part of the body moves, the body as a whole responds. Functionally the only tissue that can facilitate such responsiveness is the connective tissue. When one area of the body gets restricted or damaged, the body as a whole can become dysfunctional by setting up compensation patterns.
the platysma muscle is a thin sheet like muscle in the front of the neck. It functions to pull the edges of the mouth down. Trigger points in this muscle will produce a prickly, pins and needles sensation in the face that is often mistaken for neurological problems.
the pectoralis major is the main muscle of the chest. It is a powerful adductor of the arm. This muscle often is tight and shortened from poor shoulder posture. Trigger points in this muscle will cause pain to refer into the chest, shoulder, and down the arm. Trigger points in the left pec can mimic heart attack and angina symptoms.
The serratus anterior muscle is responsible for scapular and rib movement and stability. This muscle can become overloaded from poor posture of the shoulders, as well as heavy breathing from exertion. Trigger points in this muscle will cause pain to be felt under the armpit into the shoulder blade area, and down the arm into the fingers.
the sternocleidomastoid muscles are located in the front of the neck. these muscles are often overworked from prolonged sitting posture. Trigger points in these muscles are a common cause of headache pain.
trigger points are one of the most common sources of pain in the body. Once a trigger point has formed it won’t release on its own. Trigger point massage is one of the most effective way to release a point. It involves using a deep focused pressure applied directly to the knot. This frees the contracted tissue and stimulates healing.
Myofascial trigger points form in a muscle due to overload stress. A portion of muscle fibers lock up into a knot. Once formed these points will irritate sensory nerves that are in proximity to the knot. When this happens,
trigger points have the capacity to refer pain along specific distributions or patterns that are well mapped out. sometimes pain may be felt at a great distance away from the actual point itself.
