Trigger Point Therapy
By: Ben Crabtree, LMT, CNMT
In my San Antonio, Texas Massage and Bodywork practice many of the people that come for
treatment are seeking someone to help them with muscular pain and chronic tension from
Trigger Points. Not all of these people have heard of Trigger Point Therapy but some have
heard that Trigger Point Therapy is an effective method of naturally relieving their
muscular pain. What they've heard is absolutely true.
Like many Massage Therapists I use Trigger Point Therapy when Trigger Points are present
in a person's muscles. Trigger Points are hyperirritable spots in muscles associated with
a palpable "knot" or "taut band" in the muscle tissue. Trigger Points
are painful on compression and can refer pain and tenderness to other areas. Trigger
Points are usually ischemic and often cause an entire muscle to be painful, too tight,
weak, and more easily fatigued. Trigger Points can result from overworking or
overstressing muscles, direct trauma to muscles, or sustained chills. Trigger Points are
often either the cause of, or a contributing factor to, a wide variety of painful
conditions.
Trigger Point Therapy directly targets the trigger points and the muscles in which they're
found. In Trigger Point Therapy the Massage Therapist carefully seeks out the trigger
points in a muscle with their fingers and uses specific compression techniques, friction
strokes, and stretches which make the trigger points release and seemingly melt away. The
release of the trigger point usually results in a rapid decrease or complete elimination
of muscular pain. Trigger Point Therapy is a versatile technique and is often used to
treat back pain, Jaw (TMJ) pain, headaches and migraines, whiplash, tennis elbow, frozen
shoulder, hip pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and more. Trigger Point Therapy can be used by
itself as a stand-alone treatment, or it can be used during a Swedish massage, Sports
massage, or Medical massage and as part of Neuromuscular Therapy or Deep Tissue Massage
procedures.
Trigger Point Therapy does have a reputation as being a painful therapy to receive.
However, despite its reputation as a "no pain, no gain" type of technique
Trigger Point Therapy can be quite comfortable to receive. Some clients may experience
some mild discomfort during the treatment. This mild discomfort is often described by
people receiving Trigger Point Therapy as a "good pain" that rates low on a
standard pain scale. Often this "good pain" is actually welcomed by those
receiving this work.
Try Trigger Point Therapy. You have nothing to lose except your pain.
Author Resource: Ben Crabtree is a Licensed Massage Therapist, Massage Instructor,
and Certified Neuromuscular Therapist in San Antonio, Texas. Mr. Crabtree's practice is
dedicated to relieving pain through the use of advanced massage
and bodywork techniques. Please see MassageByBen.com
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