Trapezius Trigger Point

[70discuss70]

Anyone ever had a trigger point in their Trapezius?

Doesn't seem to be a consensus how to cure. I even asked a top Orthopedic Consultant and he wasn't 100% convincing.

Wondered if anyone here found something that works, or even someone I could contact to get advice?

Mine is TrP 5 (maybe 7) in the below diagram:

Edited by 70discuss70 on Friday 8th October 18:14

[popeyewhite]

What do you mean with the term 'trigger point'. What is triggered? Headaches?

[Slagathore]

popeyewhite said:

What do you mean with the term 'trigger point'. What is triggered? Headaches?

I think trigger point is the more scientific word for a knot?

Tight muscle point or persistent area of pain/discomfort.

I think if a massage therapist massaged 10 people, they'd all have trigger points in their traps!

I have some points in my traps that are pretty bad and knobbly when massaged and nothign resolves it. Either trigger points or possibly scar tissue from old injuries, which wouldn't really respond to massage.

Get lots of temporary relief with massage but they always come back.

Consensus from physios that don't just want to rinse your wallet is that there's nothing that can really be done for them.

[TyrannosauRoss Lex]

Working specifically on the trigger point is, rarely, successful in the long term. Addressing any functional issues (e.g. agonistic and/or antagonistic weaknesses etc) is often better long term. I have had varying degrees of success with giving dry needling therapy directly into the trigger point.

[TyrannosauRoss Lex]

Slagathore said:

I think trigger point is the more scientific word for a knot?

Tight muscle point or persistent area of pain/discomfort.

I think if a massage therapist massaged 10 people, they'd all have trigger points in their traps!

This is not what a trigger point is. Trigger points refer pain elsewhere other than the site of the trigger point. Typically along fascial lines, not neurological.

[Slagathore]

TyrannosauRoss Lex said:

This is not what a trigger point is. Trigger points refer pain elsewhere other than the site of the trigger point. Typically along fascial lines, not neurological.

Fair enough. The knotty bits in my traps were described to me by a physio as trigger points, but they were working on loosening up neck and shoulders at the time.

Have found needling provides temporary relief as well.

Sometimes rolling on a really spikey roller gives temporary relief as well and you can really feel when it gets on the points, so I just try and keep the weight on it and hold for as long as possible.

[popeyewhite]

Right, so in the diagram (above) 'X' marks the trigger point and the red area the site of pain. Why do theses occur?

[TyrannosauRoss Lex]

popeyewhite said:

Right, so in the diagram (above) 'X' marks the trigger point and the red area the site of pain. Why do theses occur?

Yes, you're right on the diagram/illustration. They can occur due to a number of huge number of reasons.