Trigger Point Tips: Why This Blog?

After dealing with chronic pain for many years, including back pain, chest pain, knee pain, and migraine headaches, I discovered trigger point therapy. As my youngest son says, "You've been so happy since you discovered trigger point therapy." Much of my pain is gone, and when I do have pain, I know how to minimize it.

I know that there are many others who deal with chronic pain issues. There is some information on how to do trigger point therapy online, but I found that most of it is geared either to professionals who give trigger point therapy to others, or to athletes, who perform great feats of strength just to work their trigger points. I was looking for a site that included how-to advice on how to self-treat trigger points for the average person.

I highly recommend, The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook, by Clair Davies. You can get it at major bookstores or online. Here is a link to the Trigger Point Therapy Workbook site: http://www.triggerpointbook.com/

There are other books on trigger point therapy out there, but his is very well-organized and easy to use. When I give my trigger point tips, I will refer to page numbers in Davies' book so that you can refer to it if you would like. You may very well find the book is all that you need. Others may find the amount of information in the book overwhelming. This blog is to help with that. I will take one topic at a time and give a little information on it. Hopefully, that will help with digesting so much information.

I believe that life is meant to be enjoyed. Even if we are given challenges, we can enjoy moments along the way. After I work my trigger points, I feel more relaxed, more flexible, and more energetic. I can do a little more, breathe a little easier, and feel less pain. To feel this way is a great gift, especially when you have been dealing with chronic pain for a long time. I am enjoying the journey in spite of the aches and pains that inevitably crop up. I hope that I can help you to enjoy the journey too.

It's what we do

The purpose of this blog is to help people learn how to self-treat their pain.

Trigger points are contracted areas, or knots, in muscles that cause pain, stiffness and other symptoms. This pain can be localized, or referred to another part of the body.

Short sessions of massage applied specifically to trigger points, ideally done several times a day, help trigger points to release and the body can then do its part to heal the muscle.

Very often there is some type of immediate relief after trigger points are worked. Other times it takes a while, especially if the symptoms have been in place for a long time and/or if one continues to do things or have experiences that cause trigger points. For those of us with chronic pain over much of our body, it may take longer, but over time, pain lessens, flexibility returns, and tension decreases when we regularly work our trigger points.

I do not pretend to be a medical professional and if you have a medical problem, I encourage you to see your medical care provider. Many people have had test after test and still have not found out the cause of their pain. Trigger Point Therapy is a valuable tool to help these people lessen their pain.

It involves a small initial investment for the Trigger Point Therapy Workbook, by Clair Davies (around $20-$25 online or at major bookstores) a lacrosse ball ($10 for a package of 3 at your local sports store), and a theracane (around $30 online at various places) and/or a backnobber (probably around the same price, also online).

Other than that, there is no cost except your time and effort.