What are the benefits of trigger point therapy?

1. Decreased headaches
2. Improved range of motion and flexibility
3. Alleviates pain
4. Reduced muscle soreness
5. Improves posture

You may be suffering from pain and soreness — a lot of people do. Many of those who experience this may opt away from medication and surgery, and instead find relief in alternative modes of therapy, especially from chiropractic care. Of the treatments available, many choose to go for trigger point therapy. Trigger point therapy is a popular way to treat both chronic and acute pain, as well as certain medical conditions. But why is it effective? And what are the benefits of trigger point therapy? Here, we explain this treatment to help you determine if it may be the right one for you.

What is Trigger Point Therapy?

At times, our soft tissue can form painful knots from overuse, lack of use, injury, and other traumatic events. These knots feel sore when pressed and cause sharp pain and a throbbing sensation to radiate around the area.  Trigger point therapy is a treatment designed to release pressure and undo these knots, allowing the soft tissue to relax. Treatment may vary depending on how severe your condition is, but generally consist of therapeutic massage, trigger point release, and dry needling to create relief.

What Can Trigger Point Therapy Treat?

Many conditions can be caused by muscle tightness or chronic pain, so trigger point therapy has many possible applications. You may benefit from this treatment if you have: 

• Frequent headaches or migraines
• Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Lower back pain
• Sciatica
• Plantar fasciitis (sole or heel pain)
• Osteoarthritis or chronic joint pain
• Sports injuries

When you need relief from the above or similar conditions, your chiropractor can incorporate trigger point therapy into your comprehensive care plan, which can lead to the following benefits:

Decreased headaches

One possible cause of chronic headaches, migraines, and general discomfort in the head and neck area can be tight upper back and neck muscles. If this is the case, trigger point therapy can be used to directly treat the affected muscles, which can reduce (if not eliminate) the number of headaches and migraines you experience. In some instances, trigger point therapy can provide more relief long-term than prescription or over-the-counter medication for headaches. 

Improved range of motion and flexibility

Tight and knotted muscles and tissue can make it difficult for you to move your body. This is because it can be painful to use these muscles, which impacts your flexibility and range of motion. Trigger point therapy can be used to alleviate tight and knotted muscles, directly improving your flexibility and increasing your overall range of motion. Athletes, manual laborers, and other professionals can use trigger point therapy to improve their physical performance. 

Alleviates pain

Trigger point therapy can be used to treat all types of bodily pain caused by muscle problems. Whether you’re dealing with lower backaches, sore knees, or tender spots, trigger point therapy can address the root of the problem — the knotted muscle — and release tension. This helps significantly reduce pain. 

Reduced muscle soreness

Release of the trigger points aids blood circulation, which improves blood flow and the removal of metabolic waste products from muscles. These waste products, such as lactic acid, contribute to muscle soreness, and feelings of weakness and fatigue. Trigger point therapy, by removing these waste products, helps you feel less sore and tired even after a strenuous day.

Improves posture

Affected muscles can be wound too tight, which can make you slouch. Untreated, it can harm your posture, which can be hard to correct. Trigger point therapy can be used to relieve the tightness in your muscles, which in turn allows you to resume proper positioning for your neck, shoulders, back, and other areas. 

Key Takeaway

If you are struggling with chronic pain, or tight muscles, you may want to consider the benefits of trigger point therapy. With the expert skill of Chiropractor Philippines, we can evaluate and create a comprehensive care plan to address your pain through trigger point therapy and other forms of chiropractic care. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.