TRIGGER POINTS Trigger Point Therapy Can Be Used To Help

TRIGGER POINTSMuscles account for more than 60% of the human body mass,making up the largest part of our bodies. They are responsiblefor all movement of the human body. With such an enormousresponsibility, it is easy to see how muscles can be subjected towear and tear, fatigue, overuse, and repetitive injury.When we want to move or use our muscles, the musclecontracts, and this is typically a voluntary action. However,sometimes the entire muscle contracts involuntarily, which wecall a spasm. Muscles are also subject to another condition,known as a Trigger Point, which is essentially an involuntarycontraction of only a small portion of the muscle, creating painand dysfunction within the muscle. One of the reasons that prescription musclerelaxants are ineffective on Trigger Points is that the medication would have to bestrong enough to stop all involuntary muscle contractions.one incredibly importantinvoluntary muscle—your heart—might not agree with this!Trigger Points have been studied and shown to be the most common cause ofmusculoskeletal pain. Pain clinic doctors have found that Trigger Points are themain source of pain nearly 75% of the time! Trigger Points cause the muscle toremain tight, which weakens the muscle and puts stress on the points where themuscles attach to the bones as well. This often leads to pain in nearby joints.A unique feature that distinguishes Trigger Points from other muscle pain is thatTrigger Points almost always refer pain to other areas of the body. This is why manytreatments are ineffective. Most treatments assume that the area of pain should alsobe the source of pain, yet the actual cause could be in a completely different location.Trigger Points and their referred pain can be associated with many conditions, andmay even cause some of them!You can learn how to control your musculoskeletal pain by treating Trigger Points athome, saving yourself from costly professional office visits!TRIGGER POINT THERAPYTrigger Point TherapyCan Be Used To HelpYou With TheseCommon Conditions: MIGRAINES TENSION HEADACHE NECK AND JAW PAIN UPPER BACK PAIN BURNING BETWEENSHOULDERS THORACIC OUTLETSYNDROME FROZEN SHOULDER TENNIS ELBOW CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME ARM AND HAND PAIN,NUMBNESS, AND TINGLING ARTHRITISTrigger Point therapy can reduce pain, increase movement, and allows the muscles tolengthen and become stronger again. To treat Trigger Points, heavy pressure mustbe applied to the Trigger Point. Light pressure is not effective for treating TriggerPoints, and in fact may increase spasms as the muscle tries to protect itself, leadingto increased and more constant pain. In contrast, moderate to heavy pressureapplied to a Trigger Point causes the pain to initially increase, but then as themuscle relaxes the pain will fade. BURSITISPressure should be applied slowly and released slowly for best results. The pressureshould be maintained until there is a change in pain. If there is no decrease in painafter one minute, stop the pressure—this is probably not a Trigger Point! Afterapplying pressure to Trigger Points, the relaxed muscle should be stretched. If themuscles are not returned to normal length, there is a greater likelihood the TriggerPoints will reoccur. Stretching is safer and less painful after the Trigger Points havebeen treated. FIBROMYALGIAThe Pressure Pointer is the best tool available for self-applied Trigger Point therapy! TENDONITIS SINUS PAIN AND CONGESTION MUSCLE AND JOINTSTIFFNESS

Page 2Pressure PointerHOW DO TRIGGER POINTS CAUSEPAIN AND OTHER SYMPTOMS?In 1999, David Simons, M.D.,discovered that a Trigger Point is adysfunction that occurs at the pointwhere a nerve enters a muscle.Trigger Points result in muscles whichhave been traumatized by accidents,sports, occupational stress, andoveruse. Once a Trigger Pointdevelops, it can remain for life unlessproperly treated.The Trigger Point restricts motion ofthe muscles and decreases circulation,depriving the muscle of nutrients andoxygen and resulting in a collection ofmetabolic waste that cannot beproperly filtered away. These wastesexcite pain nerve endings and can alsodamage them. The decrease ofnutrients to the muscle increasesspasm and inflammation. Pain is nowbeing caused by mechanical (pressure)and chemical (waste product)stimulation. This nasty cyclecontinues until treatment occurs.Referred pain occurs somewhatmysteriously. Pain signals in the bodythat come from several sources areknown to merge into a single nerve atthe spine before continuing on to thebrain. As these signals merge, itbecomes possible for mistakenimpressions as to the true source ofthe pain to occur.Additionally, Trigger Points createshortened muscles which oftencompress nearby nerves. Thiscompression irritates the nerve anddistorts the nerve signaltransmissions. This can lead toirregular sensations such asnumbness, tingling, and burning. TheBrachial Plexus is a network of nervesoriginating in the neck, and supplyingthe neck, upper back, shoulders, arms,forearms, and hands. This explainswhy many Trigger Points found in theneck and upper back can lead to painand dysfunction throughout the upperbody.Shortened muscles can also compressnearby arteries and veins. Decreasedblood flow in an artery can lead todecreased temperature (i.e. cold handsand fingers), while decreasing bloodflow in the veins can lead to swellingin the hands and fingers.Finally, Trigger Points makemovement of the muscles themselvesdifficult. Stretching or contractingmuscles affected by Trigger Points cancause intense pain, and the bodyresponds by trying to protect itself—aphenomenon called “splinting” or“guarding.” Over time the musclesstiffen, and can even form scar tissue,which further immobilizes them.What was originally decreasedmovement based on trying to avoidpain ultimately results in theincapacity of the muscle to movecorrectly.MUSCLES BESTTREATED WITHPRESSURE POINTERMusclePgTrapezius4Levator Scapula5Posterior Neck Muscles6Scalenes7Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)8Rhomboids9Serratus Posterior10Serratus Anterior11Thoracic Paraspinal12Infraspinatus13Supraspinatus14Teres major/minor15Latissimus Dorsi16“There is no substitute for learning tocontrol your own musculoskeletalpain. Treating myofascial triggerpoints yourself addresses the source ofthat kind of common pain and is notjust a way of temporarily relieving it.”- David G. Simons, M.D.HOW DOES APPLYING PRESSURE MAKE TRIGGER POINTSGO AWAY?When pressure is applied to the Trigger Point, the chemical/pressure cycle is interrupted, which helps to stop the contractionand the pain in the muscle. Additionally, the muscle is heated and kneaded during treatment, which helps to increasecirculation and to remove the metabolic waste products. Another effect is that muscle fibers become lengthened and stretchedwhich decreases the pressure component of the pain cycle. Finally, adding a stimulus (pressure) to the trigger point overridesthe pain signals being transmitted, much like a train track which can be switched.The advantage of the Pressure Pointer is that while applying the pressure to the Trigger Points, the muscles involved are ableto be fully relaxed during treatment, allowing deeper penetration. It is important to understand that Trigger Points are notthe same as acupressure points. For treatment to be effective, the specific Trigger Point, or contracted portion of the muscle,must be contacted.

Page 3Pressure PointerWHY SHOULD I USE THE PRESSURE POINTER?Self treatment of Trigger Points isone of the best and most effectiveways to achieve long lasting painrelief. For Trigger Point therapy tobe effective, you must use moderateto heavy pressure. Many of theproducts currently on the marketare hand held devices. Using thesetools requires arm and handstrength, which is often difficult ifthese are already painful areas.The Pressure Pointer relies on legpower to provide the firm pressureneeded without tiring sore andpainful upper body muscles. Thisalso allows the target muscles to berelaxed during treatment. Anotheradvantage duringtreatment is that thetarget muscles are freeto be taken throughranges of motion or toperform specificstretches whileapplying pressure atthe same time. Thisjust isn’t possible withthe hand held devices.different, having manyoptions allows you tomaximize yourtreatment whileproviding the mostcomfort for yourindividual needs.Finally, the PressurePointer provides aFoot Pressure allows thecomprehensivetarget muscles to relax, andtreatment manual thatkeeps you from getting tiredThe Pressure Pointerteaches you about yourduring treatment.also includes a varietymuscles and theirof interchangeable heads which can Trigger Points, helps you locaterange from very specific, localizedTrigger Points for treatment, andpressure to broader, rollingoffers specific stretches to help themassage. Since everyone isTrigger Points from returning.TIPS FOR SAFE ANDSUCCESSFUL TREATMENTUSING THETREATMENT MANUAL Use Pressure Pointer to avoid fatigueThe muscle illustrations show the locationof the muscle. Each muscle is shown onone side of the body only. There is alwaysa mate on the opposite side of the body. Deep stroking is often more effective than fixedpressure Use short, repeated strokes Do not stroke back and forth - stroke in one directiononly Apply and release pressure slowly Apply pressure for 1 minute - if there is no decreasein pain, leave it alone.this is not a trigger point Before treatment, rate your pain on scale of 0 - 10(0 best, 10 worst) Maintain pressure until your pain has decreased toa level of 2 or 3 - the length of time this will takevaries from muscle to muscle and from person toperson Repeat treatments 6 - 12 times per day for bestresults Be sure to perform the stretches once the TriggerPoints are deactivated. Stretching with an activeTrigger Point can actually increase your pain. If you experience bruising, don’t panic. You willwant to use less pressure next time.The most common Trigger Point locationsare indicated by a circle on the muscle.This is a general guide only. Your TriggerPoints may be found in a location near thelocation shown in the illustration. Be sureto search carefully to find your TriggerPoints - for treatment to be effective, youmust apply pressure directly to the TriggerPoint.The referral patterns are indicated byshaded areas on the body. Most are shownon only one side of the body. The referralpattern will occur on the same side of thebody as the Trigger Point. Again, this is aguideline only, and some pain referral canbe caused by more than one muscle. Youmust be a detective to determine if onlysome, or all, muscles are affecting youpersonally.If you have questions, or need assistancewith your Pressure Pointer, call PressureProducts, or consult a local health careprofessional.

Page 4Pressure PointerTrapezius Muscle Location and TriggerPointsTrapezius ReferredPain PatternsThe Trapezius is a majorsource of headache pain,typically the type of painexperienced as a “tensionheadache.” It can also be acause of dizziness, jaw, andtoothache pain. Tightness feltin the neck and back of theskull often comes from TriggerPoints in the Trapezius.If neck massage does notrelieve the sensation oftightness in the neck, TriggerPoints in the Trapezius are themost likely culprit.Computer users and others who use their arms forextended periods of time will recognize the burning painbetween the shoulder blades.Referred pain from the Trapezius can be found in such awide variety of locations, that it commonly leads tomisdiagnosis, including shoulder bursitis, headaches, disccompression, or a “pinched nerve.” Using the PressurePointer may help alleviate your symptoms.Trapezius StretchPlace right arm behind back, and grasp wrist with left hand,as shown.Bend neck sideways to the left while pulling on right arm.Hold for 10-15 seconds.Repeat for other side.Repeat cycle three times, at least three times daily.