Ouch! — Trigger Points

Have you ever heard someone say “I feel like I have a knot on my back”? These are trigger points!

They are hyperirritable spots located in the band of skeletal muscle that can produce pain locally and in a referred pattern. They’re formed from acute trauma or repetitive microtrauma can lead to the development of stress on muscle fibers. Their formation may have persistent pain in an area and can also lead to having decreased range of motion in the affected muscles. Trigger points can also manifest as tension headaches, tinnitus, TMJD and low back pain. When palpated (massaged or pressed on), they can elicit pain directly over the affected area and/or cause pain to travel toward another area. Touching them can also elicit a twitch response! 

Did you know chiropractors have an arsenal of techniques to help alleviate TP’s? We can use spray and stretch techniques, ultrasonography, and many types of manipulative/manual therapy to inactivate trigger points.