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When you hear the term “myofascial trigger point,” it may sound complicated and maybe even a little scary. However, it’s actually something many people experience without even realizing it. Whether you’re someone who sits at a desk all day, enjoys intense exercises or sometimes just feels random muscle tightness, it could be due to trigger points.
Myofascial trigger points are small, hypersensitive areas within the muscles that can cause discomfort or pain, even if the muscle itself isn’t injured. They form in the muscle fibers, making them tight and knotted. Trigger points can feel tender to the touch and may even cause you to experience pain that radiates to other areas. For instance, a trigger point in your shoulder could cause you to have pain in your head or neck.
There are two main types of myofascial trigger points:
- Active trigger points — These points actively cause you pain, even when you’re resting. You may feel aching, tightness or sharp pain coming from these spots. The pain can also travel to other areas.
- Latent trigger points — These points don’t cause you pain unless they’re touched or activated. However, they can still reduce your range of motion or make your muscles feel stiff.
Areas where myofascial trigger points can develop include your:
Symptoms of myofascial trigger points
Myofascial trigger points can cause a variety of symptoms and can vary depending on the location of the trigger point. Sometimes, these symptoms may even be mistaken for other issues like joint pain or nerve problems. Symptoms of myofascial trigger points include:
- Localized pain — This pain can be deep and aching. It’s usually felt directly over the trigger point.
- Referred pain — This is pain that spreads to a different area of the body than where the trigger point is located. For example, a trigger point in your upper back could cause you to experience headaches.
- Muscle tightness or stiffness — Trigger points can make muscles feel tense and less flexible. You may have a hard time moving or stretching affected muscles.
- Muscle weakness — If the affected muscle has a trigger point, it can feel weaker, which can make it more challenging for you to accomplish everyday tasks.
- Twitch response — When the affected myofascial trigger point is pressed, the muscle may twitch or contract.
These symptoms may come and go, depending on how active or stressed your muscles are.
Causes of myofascial trigger points
Myofascial trigger points can be due to several reasons, including, but not limited to:
- Muscle overuse — Repetitive movements, such as typing on a computer, playing a sport or lifting heavy objects, can cause trigger points. This can be especially true if you do these activities with bad posture.
- Muscle injury — Trauma or strain to a muscle due to an accident, fall or intense workout can result in trigger points forming as the muscle tries to protect itself.
- Stress – Emotional or mental stress can cause physical tension, causing muscles to tighten and develop trigger points.
- Bad posture — Sitting or standing in the wrong position for long periods of time can put strain on your muscles, which can cause trigger points.
- Lack of movement — Sitting for long periods without stretching or moving around can cause your muscles to stiffen, which may encourage the development of trigger points.
- Nutritional deficiencies — Not getting enough of certain nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, can have an impact on your muscle health and may make trigger points more likely to form.
- Underlying medical conditions — Some underlying medical conditions can cause myofascial trigger points, such as fibromyalgia and arthritis.
Knowing the underlying cause of myofascial trigger points is essential to help prevent their development and recurrence. It can also help your doctor or physical therapist determine an appropriate treatment option to help eliminate current trigger point issues.
Treatment options for myofascial trigger points
Fortunately, there are several effective ways to treat myofascial trigger point pain. The goal of treatment is to release the tension in the affected muscle and boost circulation. The best treatment option for you will depend on the underlying cause and location of your trigger points. Some treatment options that can provide you with relief include:
- Physical therapy — Physical therapy is an effective approach to help manage and treat myofascial trigger points. Physical therapy can target the muscles and surrounding tissue to help release tight spots, improve mobility and reduce pain. Hands-on physical therapy techniques can be combined with therapeutic exercises in clinic or at home to boost effectiveness of treatment.
- Heat and cold therapy — Using a combination of heat and cold therapy can help ease symptoms of myofascial trigger points. Heat increases blood flow and relaxes muscles, making it easier to release tight areas. Cold therapy can help reduce swelling and inflammation plus numb pain, providing temporary pain relief.
- Muscle relaxers — In some cases, if the myofascial trigger points are causing you to experience severe muscle tightness and pain, your doctor may prescribe muscle relaxers. These medications work by reducing muscle spasms, which can make it easier for your muscles to relax. Muscle relaxers can be used in combination with other treatments, such as physical therapy, to provide you with relief while addressing the root cause of the tension.
- Pain relievers — Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen, acetaminophen or naproxen can help you manage discomfort caused by myofascial trigger points. They can help temporarily reduce pain and inflammation but don’t address the underlying cause. They should be used in conjunction with other treatment approaches, and dosage instructions should be followed closely.
- Stretching — Gentle stretching can be a great way to help release tight muscles and improve flexibility. Stretching helps to lengthen the muscle fibers, which can help reduce tension around the trigger points.
Physical therapy techniques for myofascial trigger points
Physical therapists use a wide range of techniques that can help treat myofascial trigger points. These techniques are designed to help reduce muscle tightness, improve mobility and relieve pain. Each method is selected based on your specific symptoms, providing you with a personalized approach to recovery. Your physical therapist may use a combination of the following techniques to help your myofascial trigger points:
- Manual therapy — Manual therapy encompasses a variety of hands-on techniques used by physical therapists, including:
- Joint mobilization — Your physical therapist will use slow, controlled movements applied to stiff or immobile joints to help increase flexibility and reduce tension. Moving the joints in different directions can help loosen muscle and tissue surrounding the trigger points. This technique can be useful when trigger points are located near the neck, spine or hips, where joint stiffness can contribute to pain.
- Soft tissue manipulation — Your physical therapist will use kneading, pressing and stretching techniques to manipulate your soft tissue, including your muscles, tendons and fascia (connective tissue that surrounds muscles). By applying direct pressure, this technique can help break up muscle knots and increase blood circulation, which can help release trigger points.
- Trigger point therapy — Your physical therapist will apply firm but gentle pressure directly to the muscle knot or trigger point. The pressure is sustained for a period of time to help “deactivate” the trigger point and allow the muscle to relax. You may experience slight discomfort during the session, but it can provide significant relief afterward. The goal is to help break up the tight muscle fibers and improve circulation to the area to promote healing.
- Myofascial release — Your physical therapist will use gentle, sustained pressure to stretch and loosen the fascia to help reduce muscle tightness and pain. Myofascial release can help larger areas of tension, such as the back, shoulders or hips.
- Therapeutic exercise — Your physical therapist will design a personalized exercise program intended to help stretch and strengthen your muscles. These exercises target weak and tight muscles, reducing tension, and can help prevent future trigger points. Therapeutic exercises may include:
- Stretching exercises
- Strengthening exercises
- Postural correction exercises
- Electrical stimulation — Your physical therapist will place small electrodes on your skin over and around the trigger point or affected muscle. These electrodes send low-level electrical pulses into the muscle, which can help reduce pain, relax the muscle and improve blood flow. It can also block pain signals from reaching your brain and stimulate muscle contractions.
While treating the symptoms of myofascial trigger points is important, it’s equally important to figure out what’s causing them in the first place. Ignoring the root cause may cause you to have ongoing problems or trigger points popping up again and again. By addressing the underlying issue, you can reduce your risk of trigger points becoming a recurring problem and enjoy long-term relief.
Find relief from myofascial trigger point pain with Lattimore Physical Therapy
At Lattimore PT, we’re here to support you every step of the way. Our compassionate, expert team is dedicated to helping you feel better through personalized care that addresses your unique needs. With over 30 physical therapists with their Certification in Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy, we strive to provide you care using the best proven techniques to help ease your pain and help prevent it from coming back. We’re committed to guiding you toward a healthier, more comfortable life so you can get back to doing the things you love. Trust us to be your partner on your journey to find relief and improved well-being.
Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
