Massage Therapy

Massage therapy. More specifically in our office we practice trigger point therapy. It is similar to a deep sports massage. It’s a great compliment to chiropractic care. Often we see patients whom, even after treating with medical doctors, physical therapy and even other chiropractors have ongoing problems. In many instances trigger points are overlooked. When not addressed it is frequently the reason the pain always comes back. What may be surprising is that trigger points have been written about in medical journals for over 60 years and yet a high percentage of doctors and other practitioners are out of the loop.

What are trigger points?

A trigger point is a small contraction knot in the muscle tissue. A trigger point affects the muscle by keeping it tight and weak at the same time. The constant tension in the muscle fibers restricts the circulation in the immediate area. This results in the accumulation of by-products of metabolism, as well as the deprivation of the oxygen and nutrients needed for metabolism. It is a self sustaining vicious cycle. Typically trigger points refer pain to other areas of the body. Luckily the referred pain occurs in specific patterns. Once you know where to look, trigger points are easily located by touch and can be deactivated by several methods.

What can cause trigger points?

Car accidents
Work injuries
Sport injuries
Repetitive movement
Muscle overload, either acute or chronic
Joint dysfunction

What symptoms can trigger points cause?

Headaches
Neck and jaw pain
Ear pain
Arm pain
Low back pain
Leg pain
Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome
Dizziness
Nausea
Trigger point pain is often mistaken for: joint pain, arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis and ligament injury
Trigger point pain can be responsible for long term pain and disability

What about pharmaceutical treatment?

Pain killing drugs treat the whole body for what is usually a local problem. They give us the illusion that something good is happening, when in reality they only mask the problem. In some cases it is necessary to dull the pain and that is fine. However it is important to understand this is not correcting the problem. Pain, like headaches, muscle aches and joint pain is a warning, a protective response to muscle overuse or trauma. Pain in its true role is that of a messenger and not the affliction itself. It’s not good medicine to kill the messenger and ignore the message.