What is a Trigger Point?
Sometimes during treatment you might hear the words trigger point. First, trigger points are an area of hypersensitivity within a taut band of muscle fiber. A trigger point is painful upon compression. It can give rise to referred pain, tenderness, visual distortions and disturbances (flashing lights & colors), watering of the eyes, skin temperature changes. It is interesting to note that all "knots" are trigger points but not all trigger points are "knots".
How is a Trigger Point Caused?
A trigger point is caused by muscular strain or over use which becomes the site of over stimulated nerves, and decreased circulation and a build up of lactic acid. Postural distortions are a common cause of trigger points along with stress. These are often found in pec major (chest), trapezium (upper shoulders), neck muscles, lower back, gluteus muscles (buttocks) and erectors (muscles along the spine). But they can occur anywhere in the body. What makes a trigger point activate is cold damp weather, stress, sustained repetitive movements of the muscles, and viral infections.
I have Trigger Points, Now What?
When the therapist finds a trigger point usually the muscle will twitch or the client will jump or cry out in pain. With extended pressure to the trigger point the referred pain may be felt. A referred pain is pain felt in the vicinity of the trigger point or in another area of the body when the point is triggered or activated.
Treatment Includes
Treatment includes sustained compression of the trigger point for a short period of time, stretching, and moist heat to increase blood circulation to the affected muscles. Usually the client will feel the full force of the trigger point in its entirety when activated and then the client will feel less and less pain until the trigger is completely removed. Once a trigger point is removed it should not return.
After Therapy
I always try to encourage after a trigger point massage or a massage where trigger points are found to drink water to flush out the lactic acid that was released from the muscle and then to take a long hot bath or shower having the hot water rest on the area that was particularly worked during the massage secession. Heat brings blood to the muscle; cold takes blood away form the muscle. Cold is good for injury, it reduces inflammation and pain. Heat is good for when the injury is healing, it increases inflammation, relaxes the muscles and takes soreness away from the work done on the muscle belly by the therapist.
This article was taken from:
Massage Magazine September 2007 issue "Trigger point therapy for pain relief" page 60Neuromuscular Therapy text bookMyofascial Pain and Dysfunction by Travel and Simons 
