Trigger point therapy is highly effective at treating many instances of chronic and shorter-term pain in many different types of patients. Registered massage therapists employ specialist techniques to identify trigger points and diagnose referred myofascial pain. Then, they use sophisticated physical manipulation to treat the condition.
What are Trigger Points?
Trigger points are believed to cause myofascial pain in many people. In medical terms, the myofascial is made up of muscle and connective tissues, which have a high nerve content. Trigger points can be thought of as bands within muscles that have become taut and painful during palpation, which is the term massage therapists and doctors use to describe physical examination using the fingers.
Trigger points are known to cause referred pain – which is when a patient feels discomfort in sites not local to the actual location of an injury. Trigger point massage therapists are experts at diagnosing the causes of myofascial pain and locating the source of an associated injury or strain.
Trigger points are commonly referred to as muscle ‘knots.’ It’s believed that they arise due to muscle injuries or repetitive strains caused by overuse. You may feel that a specific area of your body is tender to the touch, and many patients experience restrictions in their range of movement. If you have referred pain, the underlying cause of trigger points can be notoriously tricky to pin down without the help of a registered massage therapist.
How do Trigger Points feel?
Trigger points come in a couple of different forms and can feel like anything from a relatively low-level ache right up to extreme pain.
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Active Trigger Points can cause both local and referred pain, and most patients have some level of constant discomfort.
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Latent Trigger Points may not cause pain all the time but may begin to hurt when you use a specific body part, for instance.
Trigger points can cause many different types of pain. Registered massage therapy (RMT) for myofascial pain is known to help treat conditions, including:
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Neck and back pain
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Shoulder pain
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Sciatica
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Knee pain
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Pains in the joints
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Headaches
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General muscle pains
How does a Trigger Point RMT work?
When you visit one of our registered massage therapists in Port Moody or Coquitlam, they’ll begin by locating the source of your problem using careful palpation, looking for tighter bands of muscle, knots, and areas that feel tender to the touch. They may ask you about specific referred pain and sensations while they manipulate body areas seeking out referred myofascial pain. In this way, registered massage therapists can identify which areas need work.
Trigger point massage is carried out by highly experienced practitioners who’ll apply pressure using their thumbs, hands, and even elbows. Trigger point release works to alleviate tension and ease the pain associated with myofascial disorders – it’s a big part of the registered massage therapy equation for treating trigger points, but it’s rarely a permanent fix on its own.
Effective Treatment for Trigger Point Therapy in Port Moody and Coquitlam
It’s essential that the registered massage therapist addresses both the symptoms and causes of trigger points. Otherwise, you may exacerbate the issue once your pain has been relieved. For trigger points, massage therapists take a holistic approach to treatment.
They’ll work with you to identify permanent solutions, recommend exercises, educate you about preventing repetitive strains and injury, as well as providing both a long and short-term solution to the pain itself. Often, when your range of movement gets impeded or muscles are weakened by trigger points, other muscles will step up to compensate. That can cause further trigger points to occur, so it’s vital to treat the root cause of myofascial pain.
Different patients respond in various ways to trigger point therapy, and when an injury receives timely treatment, recovery can be quick. Chronic pain (persisting at least a few months after an injury has healed) may require additional massage therapy, but the outlook for people who experience trigger point pain is typically good.
If you’re experiencing pain or discomfort, it’s a good idea to talk to one of our registered massage therapists in Port Moody and Coquitlam as soon as possible.You can book an appointment online, and they’ll assess your condition and recommend an effective treatment plan. Inspine Therapy also offers direct billing to several insurance companies and ICBC.
