TRIGGER POINT THERAPY
A myofascial trigger point is a hyperirritable locus located within a taut band of muscle or fascia. It often causes a shortening and decreased strength of the muscle fibers, which are painful on compression and can evoke tenderness autonomic phenomena and referred pain. Referred means that a trigger point in one muscle can create pain in another area. It is usually a steady, dull, aching and deep. The pain may occur during movement or rest and may vary from low-grade discomfort to severe and incapacitating.
While a TP is not the same as a muscle spasm, most muscular pains have a trigger point that causes the muscle to go into spasms. A spasm involves a contraction of the whole muscle, where a TP is contraction in part of a muscle
Trigger point therapy applies concentrated pressure to these points to break cycles of spasm and pain. Compression then release of painful tissue creates a temporary local ischemia followed by reactive hyperemia. It is speculated that this helps to flush out the metabolites that cause nerve irritation and pain, so that hypertonicity and spasm also diminish.
What causes trigger points:
* Exertion Overload: It means that muscle was not capable to perform a task required for it.
* Overuse or Repetitive Stress Overload: The muscle's functional endurance is exceeded. This is often the most common cause of a TP.
* Nutritional deficiencies due to digestive disorders, celiac disease, chronic health conditions, dieting, excessive alcohol consumption and food allergies. Low or low normal levels of vitamins B1, B6, B12, C, folic acid and iron, calcium, potassium and several trace elements which are essential for normal muscle function.
* Postural Overload: While subtle if a muscle is over-strentched or over-shortned for an extended period of time it is overloading the muscle and can cause TPs.
* Metabolic and endocrine abnormalities such as subclinical or mild hypothyroidism, high levels of uric acid, estrogen imbalance and low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia).