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About Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy
1) First
each patient undergoes a thorough evaluation
in which muscles with trigger points (irritable tight spots that are painful when you press on them and trigger pain and dysfunction
in nearby muscles) along with likely physical, biochemical or behavioral perpetuating factors that predispose the muscles
to trigger points are identified.
2) An important component
of treatment includes myofascial trigger point
release in which the therapist presses on and stretches the muscles
to ensure full range of motion, thus preventing them from referring pain to other regions of the body. Therapists rely
on referred pain patterns to guide their treatment. Each muscle can have from 3-11 other referring muscles that may contain
trigger points. For example, if a patient has thumb pain, therapists treat not only the thumb muscles, but also muscles
in the hand, arm, shoulder and neck that refer pain to the thumb. Here are the muscles that refer pain to the thumb:
3) Treatment also includes
customized self-care training on muscle compression, range of motion and posture muscle strengthening techniques. These sessions
include the use of Backnobbers, Jacknobbers, Body Therapy Balls, Stretch-Out Straps and other self-care tools and may be videotaped for home use. Patients take
an active role in treatment by performing these special exercises and treating themselves at home. After
patients become pain free, they are then trained in a pain prevention program.
Afflictions
often treated include (but are not limited to):
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Lower and upper back pain
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Arm, elbow, hand & thumb
pain & dysfunction
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Repetitive overuse injuries
such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Tennis & Golfers Elbow, tendonitis and bursitis
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Overuse injuries of musicians
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Shoulder pain and dysfunction including rotator cuff injuries,
frozen shoulder, winfed scapula & thoracic outlet syndrome
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Chronic head, neck and jaw pain
& dysfunction including TMJ, tension headaches and migraine headaches
Fibromyalgia and complicated regional and myofascial pain syndromes
Knee pain & dysfunction
Leg, ankle, foot and heel pain & dysfunction including plantar
fasciitis
Sciatica
Sports injuries
Arthritis
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