Myofascial Trigger Points

Myofascial Trigger Points

Myofascial trigger points (TrPs) can occur in any muscle of the body. They can also occur in some other soft tissues of the body such as connective tissue or fascia.

When TrPs become active they are responsible for a chain of events that result in what we feel as musculoskeletal aches and pain. Often that pain is debilitating and prevents us from moving freely as we once did. Often, the pain symptoms are mistaken for other illnesses or dysfunctions.

TrPs, however, do not develop without reason. They are started by specific stresses or combinations of stresses and they continue to cause pain because other factors, which may or may not be related to the initial stress, perpetuate them. These "perpetuating factors" cause TrP pain to recur over and over, even after initial relief by specific myofascial therapies.

You can easily see that it is not simply a matter of knowing you have TrPs and chronic pain. And it is not as simple as treating the pain at the TrP, although you may need immediate relief. What is key and what will keep you pain free is identifying the perpetuating factors that keep you locked in the pain cycle.

Myofascial TrPs are often overlooked or misdiagnosed by clinicians. Many people who suffer from chronic pain due to TrPs experience unproductive medical office visits, tests and procedures. But the informed few who educate themselves and find a knowledgable practitioner who is skilled in myofascial pain syndromes, are able to receive a correct diagnosis and proceed with remarkably successful therapies.

TrPs are treatable and you can become pain free. You must believe that you are your own best health advocate. After all, you are the one in pain. On the other hand, you may be your own worst enemy. You may be the reason why your TrPs developed in the first place. Admittedly, events beyond your control may have been the initial reason why your TrPs developed, such as a traumatic accident. But the chances are very good that you may or may not be doing things to keep that TrP in an active condition, such as not eating properly, not exercising or over exercising, not  stretching, etc.

A good practitioner will help you understand the factors in your life that keep you in chronic pain. A good patient will want to make life changes. The ideal partnership between patient and practitioner will bring about healing.

This section of our website is designed to increase your understanding of myofascial TrPs, perpetuating factors and which non invasive manual therapy is best able to treat myofascial TrP pain.

If you are looking for a therapist in your area, please go to the National Association of Myofascial Trigger Point Therapists website. They have an up to date listing of therapists by state.

"Eighty percent of healthcare today is self-care, the actions people take to bring themselves relief or prevent the condition in the first place"

- Molly Metter, National Program Director of Healthwise