Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy

Self Managing Myofascial Trigger Point Pain

Frequently I find that most minor trigger points are self manageable, meaning they shouldn’t require professional attention to “release” them. When locating a myofascial trigger point yourself, the point should feel “relevant” meaning that the pain provoked from pressure feels related to the discomfort you are wanting to relieve. Sometimes, but not always you will find a bump in the muscle, or notice a “twitching” of the muscle when you “locate” a trigger point, however the presence of a bump or twitching does not always indicate that this muscle knot is in fact relevant to your pain.

Often with any trigger point relevant to your pain applied pressure/massage to the area will feel good, as if it is an experience of both soreness and relief at the same time. A pain which people will commonly describe as a “good pain”. With regard to any home treatment remedy’s the application of self or partner massage to the area, local pressure, rubbing in topical creams, or the use of applied heat and/or cold to a suspected myofascial trigger point is generally both a safe and reasonably effective treatment approach even in untrained hands.

When Should You Consider Getting Professional Help For Your Muscle Knots?

If you’ve taken measures to relieve your muscle pain without success and it is impacting your daily life to the point that it is influencing the ability to carry out your work, home obligations and/or leisure activities then perhaps it is time to get a professional opinion. Untreated muscle knots can cause chronic pain and it is always a good idea to have any persistent pain regardless of the potential cause assessed by a practitioner, be it your GP, physiotherapist or similar practitioner. It is always possible that a pain which appears to the individual to be originating from a myofascial trigger point pain may in fact be something else. Having your pain assessed by a qualified medical or allied health practitioner like your local physio can assist in determining the possible causes and help decide on the best course of action to try and manage the pain. At Sydney Physio Clinic we are happy to assess people for persistent pain and assess the relevance of any myofascial trigger point pain and both treat or help provide people with an appropriate management plan to relieve their complaint.

Disclaimer: Sydney Physio Clinic does not endorse any treatments, procedures, products mentioned. This information is provided as an educational service and is not intended to serve as medical advice. Anyone seeking specific advice or assistance regarding Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy should consult his or her general practitioner or physiotherapist or suitably skilled practitioner.