Two trigger point questions

[guvnor]

1) I often use a technique of holding moderate pressure on a trigger point for about 8 to 20 seconds, however long it takes for the client to feel like the pressure is decreasing... I have a new client that almost always reports a sensation of the pressure increasing. That is not how this technique is "supposed" to work and I have stopped using it with him as it did not seem to help him at all. Any experience with anything like this?

2) What kind of connections (myofascial, energetic, etc) if any have you found between TrPs and the areas of referred pain?

 

[Joh]

(1) I've had clients start reporting similar increases, but simple technique adjustments made the difference. You may need to moderate the level of pressure you are using, alter the angle of pressure, possibly replace staticly holding the pressure with dynamicly shifting pressure in tiny "strokes" along the fibers, etc. If a client's tissues fail to rapidly respond in the desired manner, adjusting the technique in some fashion often gives better results. If in doubt, go with very light pressure and longer holds so the tissues can melt around the point of contact... it takes patience, but has been very successful with extremely irritable tissues.

(2) In general, you'll find connections between TrPts and referred pain by examining nerve pathways and dermatones.

 

[cookiesky]

(1) I've had clients start reporting similar increases, but simple technique adjustments made the difference. You may need to moderate the level of pressure you are using, alter the angle of pressure, possibly replace staticly holding the pressure with dynamicly shifting pressure in tiny "strokes" along the fibers, etc. If a client's tissues fail to rapidly respond in the desired manner, adjusting the technique in some fashion often gives better results. If in doubt, go with very light pressure and longer holds so the tissues can melt around the point of contact... it takes patience, but has been very successful with extremely irritable tissues.

Excellent suggestions. I've had great luck in particular with altering the angle of pressure.

I think it's great to learn a variety of ways to "attack" (so to speak) a trigger point. Different TPs respond to different techniques. If one way of working it out doesn't work, then switch to a different plan of attack.

One other suggestion is this, I've learned over the years that sometimes you have to release one TP before another will release. For instance, in some people the TPs in the Rhomboids release better if you've released the TPs along the axillary border of the scapula 1st.

Sometimes I've had great success holding two corresponding TPs simultaneously.

Another technique I use is distraction. I will do a nice calming stroke with my free hand while holding a TP with my "working" hand. This works well with TPs that are especially uncomfortable.

Angie

 

[Clever_Clogs]

Love the distraction technique Angie!
t023

 

[gina]

Great posts. I also use movement of the muscle and sometimes combine a counter-strain as i apply pressure to the tp's.
I learned to use pressure in a pulsing 5-count, with 3 being the deepest(in another modality, but i use this with tp's as well) and the book Anatomy Trains is a great addition to Dr. Travel's (and others)work.
Trigger Point Therapy for Myofascial Release, Finando, is another great read on the subject.
Good luck!