So, what exactly is a trigger point?  Well the answer is quite simple.  A trigger point is an overly irritated area in skeletal muscle that can develop into “nodules” or tight bands of muscle fibers.

Causes of trigger points are numerous. They can develop from a single event, such as a car accident, or a work-related or sports injury. Trigger points can also develop over time through muscle strain from repetitive motions at work, postural imbalances from standing or sitting improperly for long periods at the computer or in your car. Other causes could be emotional stress, anxiety, allergies, nutritional deficiencies, inflammation, and toxins in the environment.

Trigger points may cause muscles to tighten and shorten for a sustained period, resulting in severe pain. These hyper-irritated tight nodules can cause so much pain and tenderness that it forces you to alter the way you move, sit or stand.  Because we tend to instinctively avoid aggravating these trigger points, we limit our usage of the painful muscle, which can result in the weakening of the muscles affected.

Altering your normal movement patterns can increase stress on your muscles, ligaments and joints. This can lead to decreased strength and flexibility of your muscles as well as postural imbalances and dysfunction throughout your body.

A vicious cycle begins to develop as active and latent trigger points increase in size in different areas of your body.  Before you realize it, your pain continues to increase, you’re giving up doing the things you love, and your daily normal activities, including work, becomes more difficult due to the pain. To make matters worse, treating trigger points can be very difficult due to “referred pain” patterns.

Many people, including some health care professionals, assume the problem is where the pain is. They never address the root cause of the problem, which is the actual trigger point that needs to be deactivated.  For instance, you could be feeling pain in your hips, buttocks, or down the leg, however the cause of the pain and the actual trigger point needing to be released is located in your lower back.

For the best treatment of trigger points, it is important to consult with a professional who understands referred pain patterns as well as someone who knows how to diagnose and treat the root cause of your pain.