What is a Trigger Point?

Pain is complex, and while pain often accompanies tissue damage, sometimes there is pain with no such damage, which is the case when there is a trigger point. But what is a trigger point? 

Trigger points often occur in an over-used muscles or as a result of faulty body mechanics over time. It is generally a product of dysfunction and is different that your typical post-workout soreness. A trigger point is an area in a muscle that get tight, hyper-irritable and ischemic (meaning it’s not getting any nutrients or blood flow into the area), which can create a predictable and repeatable pain pattern when pressure is applied to the point. Oddly, a trigger point often refers pain to somewhere else. For example, the SCM muscle in the front of the neck can cause a question-mark shaped pain pattern on the head that resembles, and can be mistaken for, a headache. This area is not injured, per se, but there is pain. 

Acupuncture’s ability to relieve pain is well documented due to its ability not only to affect the way we process and feel pain, but also by releasing tight and stagnant areas is the muscles or fascia that aren’t allowing any blood flow or nutrient replenishment. There is a saying in Chinese medicine: Where there is no free flow, there is pain.

Acupuncture can make a huge difference in the myofascial systems of the body and can treat active trigger points causing pain. In addition to treating the individual muscles (the premise behind dry needling) acupuncture goes a step further to treat the whole body as one holistic unit, drawing on knowledge that has been collected for thousands of years. An individual's diagnosis, specific to their symptoms, will help release and move stagnation and restore free flow to relieve pain. Feel like this is you? It might be time to book an appointment.