If today was one of those mornings where you basically got out of bed using your internal superhero strength, I get it. All in all, you deemed it a success considering the nagging, dull, deep pain and discomfort in your body. The kind of pain that doesn’t necessarily keep you out of your daily life, but you would certainly like some relief from. The pain that constantly takes your focus off your work, a friends phone call and perhaps those little ones that need your time.
Have your considered that your pain may be caused by a trigger point? A trigger point in a nutshell, is an area that becomes tight in your muscles and in return causes pain to other areas of your body (referred pain). Our body muscles run parallel to each other and sometimes get bunched up, hardened and create little nodules. This pain could be relatively dull or fairly intense. A good example of this would be if muscles were tight in your neck and you had ongoing discomfort in your head.
Do any of the these conditions sound familiar that may be caused by trigger points?
- Bursitis
- Rotator cuff injury or immobility
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Tendonitis
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Sciatica Pain - glutes, legs, feet
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Neck and jaw pain
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Carpal tunnel syndrome
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Arthritis
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Plantar fasciitis
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Shin splints
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Migraines
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Computer Shoulder
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Back and Neck pain
What would initially cause these trigger point conditions? Some of the obvious causes may be; bad posture, activity and aging. Other causes that I had not considered may be; nutritional deficiencies, allergies or poor oxygenation of tissues. This leaves me wondering what you can do to help with your pain and what help you should seek.
First, there are many variations of great self care options recommended to help with trigger point conditions. Try getting up from your desk at work, take a walk around the office and grab a glass of water. Add some of your own healthy relaxation time to your day, like yoga. Perhaps yoga is not your thing, but some gentle stretches and a daily walk works for you - that is great! Take a good look at your diet, if you are not sure what a full balanced diet is for your age and lifestyle, ask - google is your friend and there are many free resources at your local healthcare facilities. Oh, and that one I forget constantly, pay attention to your posture when on the phone, texting, at your computer, walking, or sitting with a friend over coffee. It matters and it counts long term for our body.
This next part is where we seek help from a registered massage therapist. Registered massage therapists can offer you trigger point massage that could relieve some of your pain inside of one session. Their understanding of the musculoskeletal system allows an accurate pressure and release massage to these bunched up areas. This process separates the tissue and allows your muscles to run a healthy parallel lines, which can release the referred pain.
It is a great combination when we use our own self care methods and the help of a registered massage therapist @ The Massage for Health Clinic. Call to book an appointment today @ 403-225-0763. It is a non invasive option for long term results that will bring a smile to your face.
