Trigger Point Therapy in Portland

doctor feeling neck for tense muscles The main purpose of Trigger Point Therapy is to reduce the pain that results from hypersensitive muscles. To identify trigger points your chiropractor will gently press on the surface of the skin, feeling the texture of the underlying muscle.

What It Is

A trigger point is like a knot that feels like a pea that’s buried deep inside the muscle. It is composed of lactic acid, a normal byproduct of muscle activity, which can get trapped in the muscle as a result of physical, chemical or emotional stress. Trigger points are often tender and painful. As affected muscles tighten, their function and motion are restricted, resulting in pain and weakness. In extreme cases, muscle cramping can result.

What Conditions Can Be Treated?

Here are some of the many conditions for which patients seek trigger point therapy:

Ankle pain
Fibromyalgia
Headaches
Knee pain
Low back pain
Shoulder pain
Tennis elbow

What to Expect

Trigger Point Therapy is administered in several ways. The least invasive is through the application of direct pressure or stretching of the affected muscle. Deliberate pressure, using a thumb, elbow or instrument releases the muscle and helps flush out blood and toxins that have accumulated. Sometimes a series of strokes across the trigger point nodules are used. A cooling spray also can be applied along with the stretching of the affected muscle.

Trigger Point Therapy is a drug-free way to relax muscles and restore strength and flexibility.
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