Synonyms
medical: myofascial trigger point English: trigger= trigger (originally of a revolver)
Definition
Trigger points are thickened, painful and pressure-sensitive muscle fibers in which inflammatory reactions with far-reaching consequences are present. For example, pain can radiate deep into the body and neck tension can lead to headaches.
Introduction
Trigger point acupuncture is a special form of acupuncture that treats those points from which pain originates. Often such trigger points correspond to the classical acupuncture points. The American researcher Jay Shah succeeded in proving the inflammatory reaction.
In July 2005 he published his research results in the Japanese Journal of Applied Physiology. He showed that certain neuropeptides are elevated in such zones and that overacidification of the area occurs when the pH value drops. The inflammatory substances found in the muscle trigger tissue not only make the pain pathways in the muscle hypersensitive, so that they respond to normal stimuli such as muscle work or pressure, they also change the behavior of the pain pathways, which are normally not even noticeable. The consequences are additional pain information to the brain and a wrong assignment of the pain to a healthy area. Tension in the gluteal muscles can manifest itself as calf pain.
Causes
The causes of trigger point formation are manifold, such as strains, bruises, impact injuries, overexertion, bruising, stress, psychosomatic tension, poor posture, drafts and cold, wet weather. Due to the cramping of the muscle areas, the blood supply to the affected muscles is reduced and the blockage is further intensified. A vicious circle takes its course.
Symptoms
The trigger points (trigger point acupuncture) shorten muscles and tendons. As a result, unnatural tensile forces act on connected joints or vertebrae. These dynamics create a closing mechanism and lead to loss of strength, pain or numbness and restricted mobility in the affected body area.
The more trigger points there are in a muscle, the higher the risk of myofascial pain syndrome. This includes acute or chronic muscle pain, shortening of the muscles and muscle skins (fasciae), loss of strength and limited mobility. Trigger points located next to the spine and above the nerve roots can impair organ functions by exerting pressure on nerve roots.
As a result, for example : heart symptoms, shortness of breath, digestive and excretion problems. Trigger points with a high intensity of cramping can disturb the balance of the autonomic nervous system. This can lead to stress and anxiety symptoms or increased blood pressure (hypertension).
Goniometers are used to locate the points. These measure the mobility of the spine and body joints, because triggers shorten the muscles and restrict the mobility of the joints. Furthermore, the diagnosis is made by palpation, because in contrast to classical acupuncture points, which are determined by anatomical proportions and meridian pathways, trigger points must always be palpated based on the individual blockage.
Trigger points and their accompanying symptoms can be successfully treated with acupuncture (trigger point acupuncture) even after years. Trigger point acupuncture is mainly used for painful conditions of the muscles, tendons and joints, which manifest themselves, for example, in neck and back tension, as well as spinal complaints (pain in the spine). Since trigger point acupuncture is used to treat tissue that has already been attacked, a particularly gentle, even needle technique (acupuncture technique) must be used.
The needle tip should be placed in the center of the blockage. Here it can weaken the tension from the inside and activate an opening mechanism. This includes normalizing the blood, oxygen and nutrient supply inside the trigger point.
The tissue hardening is dissolved, the trigger point disappears and with it the pressure on neighboring nerves, blood and lymph vessels. After placing the needle in the painful point, a muscle twitch may occur. In the same way, a muscle soreness can occur in the affected area after the treatment.
Trigger point acupuncture counteracts the shortening of the muscle and its tendon, reduces the tension on the joints and eliminates the problems caused by this, such as numbness, loss of strength, limited mobility and pain. The natural strength of joints, muscles and tendons is regained. The average treatment time is about 60 minutes.The needles remain in the skin for about 20-30 minutes. In acute cases 1-5 sessions are sufficient, in chronic problems 3-12 sessions are usually necessary.
