Are TRIGGER POINTS makING you miserablE?
I visited a new chiropractor this year, and during the initial consultation, he noted several issues with my rock-hard shoulder muscles.
"PN," he told the young woman assisting him. "Pinched nerve."
I nodded and the examination continued.
He moved to the left side. "TP."
"Trigger point," I said and chuckled at his surprise.
Yep, I know all too well what those knots are... And why it's so important to address them.
What are trigger points, anyway?
According to Physiopedia, trigger points are "palpable nodules in the taut bands of the skeletal muscles' fascia."
That's a complex way of saying "knots." But not just any old knots. Trigger points are painful, especially when you dig into them. And this pressure causes pain to radiate elsewhere. If you've ever felt a headache from the tension in your shoulders, you've experienced this phenomenon.
You might temporarily alleviate some tension in your neck, say by exercising or taking a nap, but until you address the trigger point itself, the relief will only be temporary.
When you’re under pressure to produce, your muscles tighten. If you spend your days hunched over a computer or sitting in a chair with poor support, you’ve probably experienced trigger points, even if you didn’t know that’s what they’re called.
As creators, we face enough struggles. Why live with pain if we don't have to?
What's the root cause of trigger points?
The exact cause of trigger points is debatable, but a common belief is they develop from overuse.
Poor posture and stress can play a role in their development.
Staying hydrated ensures that your muscles maintain the right balance of fluids and electrolytes. Vitamin deficiencies may also cause trigger points.
How do you treat trigger points?
I don't know about you, but my first inclination when I have nagging muscle pain is to reach for over-the-counter pain relievers. As a migraine sufferer, I have to be especially careful with any neck tension that goes untreated for too long.
But the problem with trigger points is their long-term resistance to this approach. Instead of popping pain meds, there's a more effective approach.
For this to be an effective treatment approach, you must first identify the location of your trigger points.
Searching online for images or videos of common trigger points and their referred pain areas is one way to do this. Books like The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook will help, as well.
Once the trigger point location is identified, focus on tension relief. Get a massage, stretch, maybe even use hot and cold therapy to loosen the tight muscles.
Equipment like foam rollers, soft balls, and body canes that target hard-to-reach spots can also help. With my new chiropractor, I've added "cupping" to my list of treatments. For this technique, a small plastic cup is placed over the trigger point and tightened to improve blood flow within the muscle. I'm bruised for about a week afterward each treatment, but it does seem to help.
Other treatment considerations include chiropractors, physical therapists, acupuncturists, and massage therapists. Just be sure they are well-versed in the cause and treatment of trigger points. And if you have any medical conditions, be sure to check with your doctor before beginning anything new.
Finally, reduce your stress wherever you can. This could be as simple as setting an alarm to ensure you take frequent breaks away from your desk, or purchasing an adjustable desk or a new chair to make your time there more comfortable.
It could also be a matter of improving your sleep habits and ensuring you get enough exercise to keep tension from building.
Being mobile helps, too... Both physically and mentally.
And, sometimes, it takes a complete life change to rid yourself of trigger points. Only you can gauge the level of discomfort and determine the best path for healing.
A tale of pain and suffering
A few years ago, a dull ache in my wrists and forearms plagued me. Every time I sat down to work at my computer, the pain returned.
Sometimes, I even felt it for hours afterward.
I tried everything... Creams, over-the-counter pain relievers, even wrist guards to support my hands at the keyboard and keep my wrists from bending while I slept.
Any pain relief I achieved was momentary. Over time, my approach actually made the pain worse.
Why?
Not only did I not address the root cause, but the wrist guards I used also weakened the muscles in my forearms, exacerbating the issue.
Learning about trigger point therapy was a game-changer. As easy as it was to attribute the pain to my wrists, it actually stemmed from trigger points in my upper forearms.
Now, whenever I've been at the computer too long or otherwise overused my hands, I simply massage my forearm about two inches in front of my elbow. It's usually painful at first, but with enough pressure, I feel the familiar tingle of blood flow returning to my hands.
Now what?
Trigger points are not just painful. They can also wreak havoc on your productivity and creativity.
When a situation causes you so much stress you develop trigger points, you owe it to yourself to determine why that is and decide what changes must occur.
By exploring different options and finding what works best for you, it’s possible to alleviate the pain of trigger points and improve your quality of life.
When you feel better, your energy increases.
So will your productivity.