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Sedona Massage Therapy

What is a Trigger Point?

A trigger point is a contracted area within a band of muscle that is painful when touched or refers pain to a distant area when stimulated. Muscles that are chronically contracted due to overuse or poor posture become starved of oxygen and blood flow resulting in the development of trigger points. Waste products that are not flushed out of the tissue accumulate. These irritate trigger points which then send out pain signals to areas near the trigger point.

Trigger points are the primary cause of pain in 75% of patients presenting with pain according to Travell and Simons, authors of Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual. Therefore it is a mistake to only massage ‘where it hurts’ without examining the potential trigger points that may be contributing to the pain.

Many headaches are caused by trigger points in the neck and upper back. Sciatic symptoms are often due to referred pain from shortened gluteal and hip musculature. These often occur when people have a ‘short leg’. (True leg length discrepancy is uncommon and is usually due to an imbalanced pelvis.) Even functional disturbances can have trigger points at their root.

neck trigger point

An example of a functional disturbance would be vertigo or dizziness. It can be caused by trigger points in the neck when they refer into the ear. (see picture above). This is because the balance center is located deep within the ear. Areas of referred pain receive less blood flow. If the area of referral is responsible for a bodily function, in this case balance, it can become disturbed and cause a decrease or loss of function. Dysfunction in your balance center creates dizziness or vertigo.

Trigger points can be released through specific massage therapy techniques using correct pressure and timing. Shortened muscles from chronic trigger points can then be lengthened through resisted stretching techniques. Overstretched and weak muscles are prone to develop trigger points and must be treated with different massage therapy techniques. As a trained St. John Neuromuscular Therapist I am able to assess the muscle imbalances and apply the appropriate massage therapy treatment for maximum pain relief in less time.

To schedule your own Structural Balancing Massage Therapy session, please contact me.

 

Article by OmShi'. May be reprinted with the written permission of the author. ©2008

 

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I have had the privilege of working with OmShi’ through a difficult time in my life; I dealt with breast cancer. I came to know her as a consummate healer. She treated my body and fed my soul. She is blessed with an incredible energy that enables self healing. Thank you, OmShi’, for all you have done for me.

LD - West Chester, Pennsylvania