| Loosen Up Muscle Therapy |
| 484-597-0075 |
558 West Uwchlan Avenue
(Route 113 just west of Route 100)
Exton, Pa 19341
(Route 113 just west of Route 100)
Exton, Pa 19341
IT'S A GOOD HURT
People go to a muscle therapist for a variety of reasons. Many include stiff neck,
headaches, carpal tunnel like symptoms, frozen shoulder. bursitis, back pain, low
back stiffness, sciatica or even shin splints.
Muscle is the body's largest organ. Muscles can influence the quality and longevity of
our lives. Muscle pain takes a great deal of our body's energy making us less effective
and fatigued Daily pressures and stresses of life, overused muscles in athletes,
whiplash, and many other conditions can produce muscular or soft tissue pain that
many medical people will term "Trigger Points"
The medical term for trigger points is described as hyper-irritable spots in skeletal
muscle that are associated with palpable nodules in taut bands of muscle fibers. The
palpable nodules are said to be small contraction knots and a common cause of
pain. Compression of a trigger point may elicit local tenderness, referred pain, or
motor dysfunction.
OK, I wrote the above and I still do not understand what that definition really means.
Here is how I would describe it and anyone who has ever had trigger point therapy
will know exactly what I am talking about.
Trigger points can best be describes as a clog in a muscle. When I am working with a
patient I use the "Drano" commercial as an analogy. In the commercial there is a
clog in the pipe and just a bit of water is trickling through. However, when that clog is
cleared there is a steady and uninterrupted flow of water passing through the pipe.
The same thing happens with a 'Trigger Point."
I will often work with people who say that their neck has been stiff and they have
lost range of motion. I get a little history and find out for example that the person
works all day in a cubicle huddled over a computer. Now that type of behavior would
be considered repetitive and certainly a stressor. Over a period of time when the body
is in the same position for an extended period of time this causes damage to the
muscle. When the muscle is damaged the body tries to heal the area. Sometimes,
because we do not give the body a chance to heal correctly the body does a patch
work job. Meaning the body does not have a chance to flush the old cells and muscle
fibers and the Trigger Point (clog) forms.
Now just like a clog in a drain, the clog in a muscle acts the same way. The clog in
the muscle hinders proper blood flow and oxygen to flush the injured cells and fiber
out of the muscle, contributing to the clog in the muscle. If not treated the condition
continues to get worse and lo and behold we have pain and range of motion
problems.
The first thing I check for when I treat someone with a stiff neck or headaches is
Trigger Points. 99.9% of the time I will find them. When I palpate the trigger point
the patient will let me know right away, because,it will be an area of discomfort. A
patient will say "It's a good hurt" What will also happen in many cases while I am
working to release a trigger in the neck area of a patient they will tell me that they
feel the discomfort radiating up behind their eye or to their temples where they have
their headaches. Patients are often perplexed that I could be working an area in the
neck region and pain is in a completely different area. That is called referred pain,
meaning the trigger point is in one area but pain in another.
When treating a trigger point there will be some discomfort. I as a therapist apply a
technique called "'static pressure" meaning I vary the pressure on the trigger until it
releases. I will also intermittently do some cross fiber work on the surrounding tissue
to bring fresh oxygenated blood to the area to assist in flushing out the clog I usually
use a numbered scale system ranging from 1 to 10. 10 being the most painful.
Releasing a trigger takes patience by both myself and the patient. There are many
times that we have to get several layers down on the muscle to finally get the trigger
to release. I refer that as "peeling the onion' We are working the muscles layer by
layer to clear the trigger.
Once the trigger has released or begun the releasing process there will be very little
pain in the area , if any, and the patient should be able to move the area and the
surrounding area where the trigger was, much more freely.
As you can see by the chart below, triggers can occur in many parts of the body not
just in the neck area. Please remember just taking a pill to relieve chronic pain does
not go to the source of the problem. Trigger point therapy is just one example as to
why muscle therapy should a part of your wellness plan to keep your body and spirit
going as you navigate through life.
headaches, carpal tunnel like symptoms, frozen shoulder. bursitis, back pain, low
back stiffness, sciatica or even shin splints.
Muscle is the body's largest organ. Muscles can influence the quality and longevity of
our lives. Muscle pain takes a great deal of our body's energy making us less effective
and fatigued Daily pressures and stresses of life, overused muscles in athletes,
whiplash, and many other conditions can produce muscular or soft tissue pain that
many medical people will term "Trigger Points"
The medical term for trigger points is described as hyper-irritable spots in skeletal
muscle that are associated with palpable nodules in taut bands of muscle fibers. The
palpable nodules are said to be small contraction knots and a common cause of
pain. Compression of a trigger point may elicit local tenderness, referred pain, or
motor dysfunction.
OK, I wrote the above and I still do not understand what that definition really means.
Here is how I would describe it and anyone who has ever had trigger point therapy
will know exactly what I am talking about.
Trigger points can best be describes as a clog in a muscle. When I am working with a
patient I use the "Drano" commercial as an analogy. In the commercial there is a
clog in the pipe and just a bit of water is trickling through. However, when that clog is
cleared there is a steady and uninterrupted flow of water passing through the pipe.
The same thing happens with a 'Trigger Point."
I will often work with people who say that their neck has been stiff and they have
lost range of motion. I get a little history and find out for example that the person
works all day in a cubicle huddled over a computer. Now that type of behavior would
be considered repetitive and certainly a stressor. Over a period of time when the body
is in the same position for an extended period of time this causes damage to the
muscle. When the muscle is damaged the body tries to heal the area. Sometimes,
because we do not give the body a chance to heal correctly the body does a patch
work job. Meaning the body does not have a chance to flush the old cells and muscle
fibers and the Trigger Point (clog) forms.
Now just like a clog in a drain, the clog in a muscle acts the same way. The clog in
the muscle hinders proper blood flow and oxygen to flush the injured cells and fiber
out of the muscle, contributing to the clog in the muscle. If not treated the condition
continues to get worse and lo and behold we have pain and range of motion
problems.
The first thing I check for when I treat someone with a stiff neck or headaches is
Trigger Points. 99.9% of the time I will find them. When I palpate the trigger point
the patient will let me know right away, because,it will be an area of discomfort. A
patient will say "It's a good hurt" What will also happen in many cases while I am
working to release a trigger in the neck area of a patient they will tell me that they
feel the discomfort radiating up behind their eye or to their temples where they have
their headaches. Patients are often perplexed that I could be working an area in the
neck region and pain is in a completely different area. That is called referred pain,
meaning the trigger point is in one area but pain in another.
When treating a trigger point there will be some discomfort. I as a therapist apply a
technique called "'static pressure" meaning I vary the pressure on the trigger until it
releases. I will also intermittently do some cross fiber work on the surrounding tissue
to bring fresh oxygenated blood to the area to assist in flushing out the clog I usually
use a numbered scale system ranging from 1 to 10. 10 being the most painful.
Releasing a trigger takes patience by both myself and the patient. There are many
times that we have to get several layers down on the muscle to finally get the trigger
to release. I refer that as "peeling the onion' We are working the muscles layer by
layer to clear the trigger.
Once the trigger has released or begun the releasing process there will be very little
pain in the area , if any, and the patient should be able to move the area and the
surrounding area where the trigger was, much more freely.
As you can see by the chart below, triggers can occur in many parts of the body not
just in the neck area. Please remember just taking a pill to relieve chronic pain does
not go to the source of the problem. Trigger point therapy is just one example as to
why muscle therapy should a part of your wellness plan to keep your body and spirit
going as you navigate through life.
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