Trigger points are tight, sensitive “knots” within taut bands of skeletal muscle that cause localized and referred pain, restrict movement, and contribute to headaches, discomfort, and tension. Trigger point therapy is a specialized neuromuscular massage that applies targeted pressure to these areas to alleviate pain and tightness and stimulate your body’s natural healing response. Trigger point therapy can feel more intense than a relaxation massage, but it can be especially effective for individuals who feel like their muscles are persistently strained or “stuck” in constriction. A skilled massage therapist can help determine whether this approach is appropriate based on your symptoms, comfort level, and wellness goals.
5 Facts About Trigger Points
- Background: About 10% of people in the United States “have one or more chronic disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Musculoskeletal disorders are the main cause of disability in the working-age population and are among the leading causes of disability in other age groups. Myofascial pain syndrome is a common painful muscle disorder caused by myofascial trigger points.”
- Cause: How trigger points form isn’t exactly understood, but it is thought to be associated with chronically strained, overloaded, or overworked muscles. The muscles enter into a state of metabolic crisis where the fibers stay contracted, cutting off their own blood supply.
- Pain: Acute trauma or repetitive microtrauma can put your body under chronic stress, creating chemical changes within the muscle that oversensitize pain receptors. This is why trigger points are usually tender, hyperirritable, and more painful than the underlying injury.
- Effects & Conditions: “Trigger points have been implicated in various conditions, including myofascial pain syndrome (a chronic disorder involving the muscles and the surrounding connective tissue); tension-type headaches (particularly in women); migraine headaches; chronic neck pain; and low back pain.” Trigger point pain can lead to muscle dysfunction, muscle tightness or weakness, decreased flexibility, limited range of motion, sweating, redness, or lightheadedness.
- Identification: Trigger points aren’t diagnosed by blood tests, imaging techniques, or medical tools. An experienced massage therapist will carefully identify where your trigger points are. When pressure is applied to a trigger point, you may twitch or jump.
How Does Trigger Point Therapy Help With Muscle Pain?
Trigger points are linked to ischemia, which is when oxygen-deprived muscles are stuck in a feedback loop of pain. Trigger point therapy interrupts this loop.
Our experienced Massage Matters therapists use ischemic compression, a technique involving applying sustained pressure to the trigger point. When pressure is released, this encourages circulation and healing with a flush of fresh, oxygenated blood to repair the tissues.
What to Expect During a Trigger Point Massage Session
It is important to note that trigger point therapy will feel more intense than a relaxation massage. You may experience what massage therapists call “productive pain,” which will ultimately provide a sense of relief and support your body’s natural healing over time.
You may feel discomfort but should not experience excruciating pain. You may also feel referred pain (discomfort in other parts of the body), which confirms the therapist has located the correct trigger point. Referred pain may feel like pain that radiates or shoots down your leg from a knot in your glutes.
Our Orange County massage therapists will always listen to your feedback and balance the intensity of their techniques with your comfort level. You are welcome and encouraged to communicate with your massage therapist at any point throughout the session.
Experience More Than Pain Relief With Irvine’s Top Massage Therapists
Unfortunately, trigger points tend not to go away on their own and do require expert intervention.
Our state-of-the-art Massage Matters clinic and skilled massage therapists are dedicated to addressing trigger points at the source, not just on the surface, to help you experience not only less pain, but also improved energy, range of motion, comfort, performance, and overall quality of life.
Call Us Today: +1 (714) 400-2368
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Frequently Asked Questions: Trigger Point Massage in Orange County
Most clients feel more relaxed and “light” after just one customized professional massage. However, the time frame for experiencing improvements in trigger points can vary depending on the individual’s condition, posture and movement habits, and lifestyle. Some clients feel significant relief after just one session, while others may require multiple sessions to achieve the desired results. Consistent follow-up care helps keep the fibers remain elongated and prevents the “knot” from reforming during times of high stress.
Tension headaches are often caused by stress, strain, and fatigue in the neck, shoulders, and upper back, teeth grinding, jaw clenching, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. They may also be caused by trigger points in the upper trapezius, suboccipitals, and neck muscles that send pain signals upward into the skull. An experienced massage therapist will identify the tension or trigger points contributing to your headaches and tailor treatment techniques to your individual needs. Many clients find that consistent, customized massage therapy can significantly reduce chronic pain and improve symptoms that previously felt persistent or difficult to manage with medication alone.