How to Identify Myofascial Trigger Points

How to Identify Myofascial Trigger Points



Pain is a normal function of the human body. Constant pain isn't. Muscles may develop myofascial trigger points as a result of acute trauma, repetitive stress, nutritional deficiency, fatigue or emotional stress. Easily misdiagnosed and non-responsive to standard pain management therapies, trigger points do respond to direct massage techniques.









1


Consult with your physician to eliminate possible causes of your pain. Trigger point symptoms of muscle stiffness, weakness, nausea, distortions in posture, and dizziness mimic symptoms of common ailments that should be treated with proper protocol.





2


Analyze your pain. Trigger point pain manifests as an oppressive ache in your muscles. Trigger points also refer pain to distant sites, such as aching feet from tight calves. If the pain is persistent and unresponsive to conventional therapy, it's possible you have trigger points.





3


Locate the trigger point with direct pressure over the pain site. There will be a taut knot in the muscle belly that can be felt by sensitive fingers, accompanied by pain in the immediate area, possible referred pain in a distant site and a local twitch in the muscle.





4


Don't confuse this with a tender point which is highly sensitive to pressure and generates pain only at the site of the pressure.





5


Confirm your self-diagnosis with a certified massage therapist trained in trigger point recognition.








Tips & Warnings










Trigger points are often confused with acupressure points. Although similar in theory, trigger points are based on hard science and can be felt with the fingers. Acupressure meridians can't.








Trigger points can generate headaches or joint pain, mimic tendonitis and bursitis.








The majority of physicians and alternative therapy specialists aren't trained in myofascial trigger point diagnosis and management.



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How to Identify Common Pressure Points in Acupressure

How to Identify Common Pressure Points in Acupressure



As an alternative therapy, acupressure shares similarities with acupuncture and reflexology. All focus on pressure points of the body to alleviate a wide range of ailments and to promote better health. Once you learn the location of common pressure points, you can treat yourself with acupressure.









1


Look for pressure points located at major muscle groups. Using fingers, feel for a knot in an indentation at the muscle.





2


Identify pressure points by their location and a number used by acupressurists. For example, GB-30 stands for Gallbladder 30, located in the gluteal area and used to increase joint movement.





3


Remember some of the 400 pressure points of the body through the translation of Chinese names. For example, the "Letting Go" points at the outer part of the upper chest release tension and stress.





4


Manage coughing with the LU-9 pressure point on the inside of your wrist. Press on the depression between the pulse point and the tendon from your thumb.





5


Address digestive problems with ST-36, also known as "Leg Three Miles." Locate it four fingers below the knee in the depression on the outside of the leg between the bone and muscle.





6


Care for low back pain with several different pressure points, including the "Sea of Vitality" or Bladder 23 near the waist at the second lumbar vertebrae of the back, four finger widths from the spine.








Tips & Warnings










Apply firm and constant pressure using your finger or thumb in acupressure treatments.








Acupressurists recommend breathing deeply and visualize letting go of negativity while applying pressure on the points.








If you want to use acupressure for many different ailments, invest in an acupressure points chart from a good text or the Acupressure Institute.








As an alternative therapy, acupressure hasn't been proven effective with all ailments. Consult a health practitioner for recent or serious pain.



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How to Identify Ayurveda Dosha Type

How to Identify Ayurveda Dosha Type



Ayurveda is a 5,000-year-old science that originated in India and is practiced around the world. Literally translated as “science of life,” Ayurveda is a comprehensive system that provides guidelines for diet and lifestyle to support your health. There are 3 doshas, or mind/body types, in Ayurveda, and we can be predominantly one type of a combination of 2 or 3. Your dosha will help you determine what foods to eat and which to avoid and how to adapt your lifestyle so it does not go against your natural mind/body type.









1


Begin by taking a basic dosha questionnaire at one of the links below. You might also choose to read up on the subject or consult with a certified Ayurvedic specialist.





2


To determine your dosha type, consider if you fit the Vata dosha. Vatas tend to be small, slight and wiry. They seem to be in constant motion and are quick to learn and quick to forget. Vata is identified with the air element and tends to multi-task: one sees Vatas eating, talking on their cell phone and reading a magazine all at once. Prone to constipation, dry skin, irregular appetite, Vatas are best nourished by a diet of fresh and cooked vegetables, soups, juicy fruits, not too many raw fruits and in general, foods that are of the earth element to ground their flighty nature.





3


Consider if you might be a Pitta, who is generally of medium build with obvious muscle and strength. Pittas are often athletic and competitive, driven and action-oriented. Pittas are also known for their fiery nature and can become hot under the collar if they push themselves too far. A diet that is cooling and not too astringent is appropriate. Pittas should avoid aggravating their fiery constitution by limiting spicey foods, fermented foods, and by not basking in the heat of the sun.





4


Consider if you are a Kapha, who tend to be the heavier and rounder of all 3 doshas. Slow-moving, with excellent endurance, Kaphas may not say a lot but when they do speak, it is in measured, thoughtful sentences. If imbalanced, Kaphas may be overweight or have a risk for diabetes or hypertension. Raw fruits, salads, vegetables, whole grains and easy-to-digest foods are best for Kaphas. They tend to dislike exercise or movement, but this can create stagnation and weight gain.





5


Experiment with your newfound knowledge by keeping a food diary. Record what you eat, when you eat, and how you feel later.





6


View the links below to learn much more about how Ayurveda can help you establish eating habits that will support your health.








Tips & Warnings










Vatas tend towards insomnia: to counter it, Vatas should maintain a regular schedule of eating and sleeping at regular times to establish a routine.








Pittas tend to have large appetites, but this can get out of hand. They can maintain their athletic activity and eat smaller meals throughout the day to avoid excess.








Kaphas like to nap and can become sluggish. Starting a modest 20 minute daily walking program in the morning can jumpstart metabolism and refresh a Kapha’s perspective.








If you have any chronic diseases or other serious health conditions, consult a licensed Ayurvedic specialist for guidance.



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How to Identify an Active Trigger Point in Massage

How to Identify an Active Trigger Point in Massage



An active trigger point is where a muscle is in spasm. You can locate and defuse a trigger point by paying attention to the reaction when the point is pressed. The source of tension, which may feel like a "knot," also causes a twitch or sharp pain when pressed.









1


Use a trigger point therapy guide to narrow down the zone of trigger points for the area you're working on. Palpate the muscle in that area with your fingertips or knuckles.





2


Look for spots that cause a sharp pain that radiates toward the area of referred pain, as those are active trigger points. Latent trigger points may cause the same electrical tingle, but only an active trigger point will hurt when pressed.





3


Press on the active trigger point for 10 seconds, then release. This pressure briefly hurts, but the release of tension afterward makes it worthwhile. Increased blood flow to the area as the muscle relaxes relieves longterm pain.





4


Notice where pain radiates when you press active trigger points and explore those other areas to find satellite, or referred, trigger points. You can keep them from becoming active trigger points by clearing them while they are still latent.





5


Revisit the active trigger points during each massage session to release any recurring muscle spasm areas and ease pain.


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How to Identify a Secondary Trigger Point in Massage

How to Identify a Secondary Trigger Point in Massage



It's estimated that 23 million persons suffer from one or more disorders of the musculoskeletal system. These are among the leading causes of disability in the working population. When the strong muscles are overloaded to the point of creating trigger points, their opposition muscles will develop trigger points of their own.









1


Begin treatment with a relaxing massage to warm up muscles. Verbally guide the therapist's screening exam to isolate and identify primary trigger points. Secondary triggers appear in synergistic and antagonist muscles. For example, primary triggers in biceps have secondary points in the triceps.





2


Guide the therapist in application of gentle pressure to the secondary pain site to locate the hard knot within the muscle. Increase pressure slowly for about 10 to 20 seconds. The muscle should release and the pain subside.





3


Stretch the muscles carefully and slowly to realign them to proper length. The range of motion you have reflects how much improvement is shown.





4


Continue probing for trigger points in the area to deactivate all problems.








Tips & Warnings










Secondary trigger points develop as compensation for an overloaded primary muscle or referred pain from a key trigger point. They inhibit range of motion. Like primary trigger points, they appear as a hard knot in the muscle fiber. They're painful under pressure and twitch in response to snapping motion applied to the muscle.








Treatment of key trigger points doesn't deactivate secondary triggers. In fact, relieving key trigger points makes it easier to determine if secondaries are present as the muscles are out of balance in the opposite direction of stress.








Refer to your medical and personal history to determine possible lifestyle habits that contribute to the formation of secondary trigger points. In addition, provide a history of illness and injury to the therapist, highlighting any suspect activities and major areas of pain or movement restrictions. Plan a course of treatment around your medical history.



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How to Identify a Latent Trigger Point in Massage

How to Identify a Latent Trigger Point in Massage



Trigger points can exist indefinitely in a latent state and accumulate for years without pain. Often misdiagnosed, they manifest as the stiff joints and restricted mobility experienced by seniors. Most people have latent trigger points in their abdomen. Upper abdominal triggers collect along the lower ribs, mid-section triggers are found to either side of the belly button and lower abdomen triggers lay along the pelvis and pubic bones.









1


Talk with the patient to determine his major complaint. When working on yourself, choose your most aggravating pain to start with. Latent triggers can erupt anywhere a key trigger point resides. Refer to a trigger point chart to isolate your starting point.





2


Warm up the area to be worked on with heating pads or hot towels. Your target area must be in a relaxed state. Muscles shouldn't be flexed or stretched. Support limbs for relaxation. Sit or lie down comfortably to work on your torso or neck.





3


Press along the muscle fiber in the target area. Feel for a hard nodule within the belly of the muscle. Latent trigger points are extremely sensitive and respond to pressure with intense pain in the immediate area. They don't refer pain to a distant site.





4


Deactivate the trigger point with a firm, but gentle massage. Use short strokes in a single direction. Aim for a pain threshold of six or seven on a scale of one to ten. To completely deactivate the trigger point, continue massaging until it no longer hurts.





5


Massage deep lying trigger points with your fist or supported fingers. Employ a tennis ball between your target area and a wall or floor. Specially designed theracanes are useful for hard to reach spots.








Tips & Warnings










The majority of physicians and alternative therapy professionals aren't versed in myofascial trigger point therapy diagnosis. Massage therapists trained in trigger point therapy can relieve the knot with a short series of sessions.








Examine your lifestyle to determine how the damage might have occurred. Latent trigger points are activated by strain, over-stretching, sudden twisting motions or overuse. Childbirth can cause latent trigger points in the mother's abdomen.








If the pain doesn't respond to therapy or grows worse, consult a physician to determine if another cause is responsible.



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How to Identify a Key Trigger Point in Massage

How to Identify a Key Trigger Point in Massage



Myofascial trigger points are responsible for persistent pain in approximately 10 percent of the United States population. Similar to fibromayalgia, trigger points generate muscular pain in localized zones. Active or key trigger points cause pain at rest. They can cause decreased range of motion, distortion of posture and manifest as migraines or TMJ.









1


Talk with the patient to determine where and how badly his pain manifests. Refer to a trigger point chart to locate the best place to start examination. Self-diagnosis follows the same procedure.





2


Warm up the area to be worked on with heating pads or hot towels.





3


Isolate the trigger point by pressing gently on the referenced spot. A key trigger point generates pain immediately under firm pressure and refers pain to a distant site at the same time.





4


Rub your fingers across the grain of the muscle. A local twitch response also indicates the presence of a trigger point.





5


Key trigger points may also generate latent trigger points along the nerve pathway.








Tips & Warnings










If the pain doesn't respond to therapy, consult a regular physician to determine if another cause is responsible.








The majority of physicians and alternative therapy professionals aren't versed in myofascial trigger point therapy diagnosis. Massage therapists trained in trigger point therapy can relieve the knot with a short series of sessions.








Trigger points can reappear. An examination of lifestyle is required to determine how the damage is being done.



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