Questions on Trigger Point Therapy page

[Sambo712]

I've had lots of people suggest trigger point therapy, which I believe is the technique of applying intense pressure to the trigger points (muscle knots) using a lacrosse ball, or something like it. Does this sound accurate?

My question is, how long should it take to solve these muscle knots I have in my back and shoulders? I've been going at them for about two weeks now, at least twice a day and they're still there and still causing tension.

Does anyone have any experience in this area?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

[sarahelyse]

My physical therapist used this technique on my hip muscles. At the start of therapy, I could feel the same muscles tightening back up on the drive home from the pt office, but as I strengthened the complementary muscle groups (my abs), the time between the release and the re-tightening lengthened.

[jfreaksho]

Trigger point is similar to what you describe, but really bad trigger points are knotted little points- like a bead in your muscle. You push on it and you'll want to cry.

I dated a girl years ago that had this, because of some spinal issues she had- and when I hit the points, I could feel them like a little bead in her muscle, and it would HURT. I think that there's probably a limit to how much you can do on your own with this.

Also, trigger points are knots of muscle. Those muscles are knotted for a reason, and if you don't work out those reasons, you'll never get rid of the knots entirely. If there is a postural issue that your body is compensating for, or just some kind of odd, chronic bad body positioning, you have to fix that too.

[Sambo712]

Thanks for the input guys, both helpful. I do have postural issues, but I'm seeing a chiropractor 5 days a week to resolve that. I'm just trying to supplement with TPT to see if I can speed up the process.

I do have the little beads/knots, and they are excruciating, but I've built up a pretty high pain threshold for them. They way I can tell that I've really got on is that I get a coppery taste in my mouth and start salivating for some reason. I often tines get referred pain up to my neck and down my arms. Lately I've been doing 10 minute or so sessions. At the very least I feel like I'm being proactive, if not effective.

[cori93437]

Last year one of my Neuro's suggested me trying a set of PT stretches as part of my treatment.
And I did. And everyday no matter how well I stretched it seemed like I was back at square one the next day.

So I took it one step further.
I started seeing a massage therapist for deep tissue massage with pressure point release.
At first I went every week.
There were SO many knots. And there was so much pain working them out.
(Seriously... cursing and wanting to cry on that table.)
But after a couple of months I reduced to every other week, and now I can go once a month...
Though I still like to go twice a month just because a lot of the time.
(Now there is still some discomfort... it is deep tissue after all... but I don't get the knots like I used to or have the pain!)
On the weeks I don't see my regular MT I sometimes don't get the pressure point release and I can tell it makes a difference... for whatever reason depressing those nerves causes the muscles to relax and be de-knotted or whatever and stay that way longer IMO.

[Sambo712]

Thanks Cori, it nice to know (though a little depressing) that even a professional giving you treatments once a week took a couple months. This gives me hope that if I keep it up they will go away. I'll keep at it and see what I can do!