When Muscle Pain Won’t Go Away, Look For Trigger Points

If you have muscle pain or other symptoms that just aren’t going away with conventional (medical) treatment or with massage therapy, there’s a reason.

The reason could very well be “trigger points.”

Here’s an example: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is very often caused by trigger points in your muscles.  The trigger points in this case are in the neck, upper chest, front of the arm and lower arm.  They “fire,” or refer, pain into the area of the carpal tunnel in the wrist.

A “syndrome” is a collection of symptoms.

Symptoms are things like pain, numbness, tingling.  If you can get rid of the symptoms, or the causes (triggers) of the symptoms, you get rid of the syndrome, too.

Trigger points are hyper-irritable (very irritated or crabby) areas of muscle.  Trigger points can also be found in other soft tissues like skin and organs.  Soft tissues are everything except our bones.

What do trigger points do?

They cause pain and symptoms in other parts of the body, sometimes at a far distance from the trigger point.  This is called “referred” pain.

We ALL have the potential to have them, because we all have soft tissues.

When a nagging pain or symptom won’t go away with treatment, that most likely means that a trigger point is causing the pain and needs to be released.

Whatever caused the trigger point also needs to be corrected.  Everything has a cause!

When I was making my notes for a recent Carpal Tunnel Radio show, I noticed a relationship between Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and trigger points:  All of the things that cause trigger points also cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome!  And, so it is with a lot of our body pain.

A great deal of our pain and other uncomfortable symptoms are caused by trigger points.

Trigger points and muscles are largely overlooked by the medical community (your doctor) as a cause of pain.  It’s just not widely taught in medical schools.  In fact, very few doctors understand the roles of muscles in pain syndromes and fewer still understand trigger points.

Here are some of the things that cause (create) trigger points:

* abnormal bone structure that you may have been born with (like a leg or arm length difference or a partially formed spinal bone)
* posture that causes muscle stress (poor or collapsed posture is a very common cause)
* doing repetitive motions, especially doing them incorrectly
* vitamin & mineral deficiencies or incorrect levels of needed nutrients
* thyroid or certain blood disorders
* stress; allergies and chronic infections

How are trigger points treated?

A manual or massage therapist can release trigger points naturally by locating them, pressing into them AND releasing the surrounding muscles that caused them in the first place.  A few doctors use a “spray and stretch” method or injections to release the trigger points.  Sometimes the injections help, sometimes not.  Depends on the knowledge and ability of the doctor.

There is a very good book on self-treating trigger points.  You can find it at Amazon or your local library.  It’s by Claire Davies.  You can release many of your own trigger points when you understand where they are and how to get to them and Mr. Davies did a good job of helping with that.

There are also trigger point charts that show the areas they distribute pain to.

A good manual therapist or massage therapist will know by your symptoms where your trigger points are and will be able to release them.  A good therapist will also help you get rid of the cause of the trigger points.

No more trigger points equals no more muscle pain!

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6 Replies to “When Muscle Pain Won’t Go Away, Look For Trigger Points”

  1. The outlook for people in chronic pain is getting worse. Pain due to diabetes, arthritis, painful procedures and back pain are on the rise and neither the Federal government nor the states have an energetic plan to lower the prevalence of chronic pain. Most doctors know on average three medications for pain and are “woefully ignorant” of treatments for pain. Most doctors dismiss people who claim to have pain. As governments wish to save money they will look to shortchange people in pain with step pain-and with an FDA intent on restricitng access to opioids. And unfortunately most people in chronic pain are too passive to assert a right to adequate pain care.
    Unless people in chronic pain call for changes from government and health care-their situation overall will only get worse.

    1. Hi Ivan, There is truth in what you say because our conventional medical system is a system of treatment rather than of prevention. And even when the goal is prevention, it is often sought with medications rather than naturally. Medical schools don’t teach much about the causes of pain–they are focused on pain relief methods which generally involve surgery and drugs. People with pain must often be their own doctor, their own physical therapist. They must uncover the truth about what they eat and make decisions that may cost a bit more but will improve their health. Most people are too passive when it comes to medical care. People trust and believe their doctors (this can be a good thing) but don’t take their health care into their own hands. To become well, one must take responsibility. Thank you for writing.
      Best,
      Kathryn

  2. It is so true how that the doctors are not being more sympathetic to there patients. Many actually will look at you like you are making it up or just looking for prescription pain relievers. I’m getting pretty damn sick of living in this pain. Test results show a very high ANA result, high CRP result(inflammation), constant headaches and sharp dull pressure(in head,eyes and ears), and that doesn’t include the muscle and joint pain thru-out the rest of me…I also have had a MRI that shows I have BRAIN lesions, but my MS spinal tap test came back negative…I’m so frustrated, and when I asked my Doctor about why my Kidneys are starting to bother me I got yelled at that it was no different then the rest of me, “What do you want me to do”…..I just keep praying for someone to come into my life and figure out how to stop me from being in this pain all the time…And all that Anti-deppressant stuff doesn’t work..Lorianne

    1. Dear Lorianne, Some doctors are better than others and some have more empathy for their patients. I don’t blame you for being frustrated with your treatment. It sounds as though it may be time for you to seek a new doctor. It sounds as if your current doctor is also frustrated and doesn’t know what to do for you. Some have much more knowledge than others. If you can find a Physiatrist in your area, that is a medical doctor who looks at your whole body to determine why you have symptoms. They are also called Physical Medicine doctors.

      And you are right–the antidepressants don’t work for everyone and often they are not the correct answer. When they help a patient to sleep, they can help reduce chronic pain. Lack of sleep can cause chronic over-all pain in otherwise healthy people. You doctor may have prescribed them to help you sleep. It may take some trial and error to discover one that makes a positive difference for you if you wish to continue trying.

      I’m not a doctor but the usual treatment for high CRP is to reduce the inflammation. Keep in mind that that tests are not always accurate; test results can actually change from day to day.

      I know that you are desperate but pay more attention to getting well than to diagnoses. Does that make sense? What I mean is, think positive thoughts as much as you can. Ignore test results that don’t point you in the right direction to pain relief. Your MS test was negative and that’s a good thing.

      Lorianne, I know you would like answers but sometimes it’s the diagnosis that puts people into a wheelchair. Sometimes taking matters into your own hands is the way to go. Trigger points may be causing a lot of your pain. That is very common with chronic pain and especially with head pain. There are very good self-help trigger point books that you can get. Claire Davies is a very knowledgeable author whose books are very helpful and easy to understand.

      Are you sure that it is your kidneys that are bothering you? There are muscles in that area of your back that could be causing your kidney-area pain. Most doctors do not know much about muscles. That is why I suggested a Physiatrist. They know the most about how bodies work.

      I hope this helps. I am praying that you will feel better quickly.

      Warmest thoughts,

      Kathryn
      The Pain Relief Coach

  3. Thank you so much for sharing all of these informations.
    I’ve been going through some pain around below my waist,more on the right side after a physical exam.
    It’s been weeks,I’m being treated by the same therapist with some myofaciae(not sure of spelling) treatment,and the pain doesn’t go away.
    I’ve some lower back pain too. All started at the same time.
    Any suggestions?

    1. Hi Sona, You are welcome and thank you for writing but I don’t have quite enough information. It sounds like you may have been bruised from an internal examination or from being pressed into your soft abdomen from the inside? If this is the case, after this long of a time of discomfort, you should probably go back to the doctor and complain and explain and see what his or her answer is. (There should be no cost to you.)

      Pain on the lower right side of the abdomen is often the appendix but there could be other causes.

      The only other thing I can think of, would be for you to pick up and lift your abdominal tissue. Do his when lying down. Just pick up the fatty layer between your fingers and thumb on that side and see whether it’s actually tender on the outside (rather than on the inside.)

      If it’s tender on the outside, that should be easy to treat, either by yourself or by your myofascial therapist.

      I hope this helps you get rid of the pain in your right abdomen.

      Kathryn
      The Pain Relief Coach

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