Q: What are trigger points?

A: A trigger point is simply a small contraction knot in muscle tissue. It affects the muscle by keeping it tight and weak. A trigger point keeps the muscle tight and often causes symptoms in adjacent joints. The constant muscle tension restricts blood flow thus causing accumulation of metabolic waste products and oxygen deprivation. This causes increased pain and muscle tightness. Trigger points often refer pain to other sites of the body, as well.

Trigger points can cause headaches, neck and jaw pain, low back pain, dizziness, nausea and ear aches. Fibromyalgia may have it's beginnings with trigger points.

Trigger points are treated with massage, modalities such as ultrasound and electrical stimulation, exercise, injection and medication. Trigger points are often reoccurring, therefore patient education is essential in order to prevent their reoccurrence and enable the patient to self treat.

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