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Oct 07
2009
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The jury is still out on this one, folks. We all know that trigger points -- or 'T.P.s' -- exist; we experience them first-hand as 'knots', 'kinks', or 'cricks' in muscle tissue that can cause us a lot of grief. But what causes them to form? Stress is certainly a culprit, as are diet and environment. More specifically, many scientists' best guess is that a T.P. will often form where a motor neuron (which conducts impulses from the brain to a muscle) enters a muscle, usually in the thickest part of the muscle (the 'belly'). The muscle fibers closest to the motor neuron receive the greatest amount of information, or stimulus, and are therefore more often in a state of stress than the muscle fibers farther away from the motor neuron. (Think of a teacher speaking to her class -- the students closest to the teacher will experience her voice as louder and more intense than their classmates sitting in the last row.) Constant receipt of information from the brain causes these nearby muscle fibers to enter a holding pattern, and they become chronically seized. Although T.P.s usually occur in predictable patterns, each body reacts differently to stress stimuli, making it impossible to determine exactly how and under what conditions trigger points will form.
When I Massage a T.P. in My Left Shoulder, My Right Shoulder Tingles -- What's Up?
When massaged, trigger points will almost always refer pain, tingling, numbness, itchiness, or even sensations of hot and cold, to another area of the body. This is completely normal! It's a testament to how interconnected all of our muscles are; in fact, treating a single trigger point may help correct problems in distant regions of the body.
It's All So Interconnected!
When a muscle attains release through massage, several things are happening that might not be obvious to the naked eye. Local circulation is increased. This is easy to test: deeply massage your own arm or hand for 30-60 seconds. See how rosy your skin becomes? Blood is now strongly circulating to this area, bringing with it nutrients and oxygen that help to repair muscle damage and flush any build-up of lactic acid. This is because massage releases 'vasodilators' -- chemicals within your body that cause blood vessels to widen, allowing your blood to pass through more freely, and thereby reducing blood pressure. Additionally, a constricted muscle can itself impinge nerves and blood vessels -- when the muscle is relaxed, stretched and loosened through massage and trigger point work, overall circulation is improved dramatically. Lastly, we instinctually compensate for weak or constricted muscles -- that is, we use other muscles to take on the work load of a muscle that's out of shape, injured or too full of trigger points. This can cause those helpful stand-in muscles to become over-wrought and strained as well. Oftentimes, by carefully treating a trigger point within a specific muscle, and restoring that muscle to its proper function, we can bring many other areas into balance.
Why Choose the Body Back Buddy for My Trigger Point Treatment?
There are many benefits to using the Body Back Buddy to treat your trigger points. Trigger point massage is a subjective experience -- it requires deep pressure and a willingness to breathe and listen to your own body. The Body Back Buddy allows you to control the intensity of your massage, staying within your own pressure comfort level. Also, treating trigger points manually can tax your thumbs and fingers -- using the Body Back Buddy limits strain on your wrists and hands. There's a Body Back Buddy for every body shape and need, so you can enjoy the benefits of therapeutic massage when and where it's convenient for you! Try the Body Back Buddy today, and experience the relief only a customized massage can provide.
Keep your eyes out for Trigger Points -- Part Two: How to Unknit Those Knots!
When I Massage a T.P. in My Left Shoulder, My Right Shoulder Tingles -- What's Up?
When massaged, trigger points will almost always refer pain, tingling, numbness, itchiness, or even sensations of hot and cold, to another area of the body. This is completely normal! It's a testament to how interconnected all of our muscles are; in fact, treating a single trigger point may help correct problems in distant regions of the body.
It's All So Interconnected!
When a muscle attains release through massage, several things are happening that might not be obvious to the naked eye. Local circulation is increased. This is easy to test: deeply massage your own arm or hand for 30-60 seconds. See how rosy your skin becomes? Blood is now strongly circulating to this area, bringing with it nutrients and oxygen that help to repair muscle damage and flush any build-up of lactic acid. This is because massage releases 'vasodilators' -- chemicals within your body that cause blood vessels to widen, allowing your blood to pass through more freely, and thereby reducing blood pressure. Additionally, a constricted muscle can itself impinge nerves and blood vessels -- when the muscle is relaxed, stretched and loosened through massage and trigger point work, overall circulation is improved dramatically. Lastly, we instinctually compensate for weak or constricted muscles -- that is, we use other muscles to take on the work load of a muscle that's out of shape, injured or too full of trigger points. This can cause those helpful stand-in muscles to become over-wrought and strained as well. Oftentimes, by carefully treating a trigger point within a specific muscle, and restoring that muscle to its proper function, we can bring many other areas into balance.
Why Choose the Body Back Buddy for My Trigger Point Treatment?
There are many benefits to using the Body Back Buddy to treat your trigger points. Trigger point massage is a subjective experience -- it requires deep pressure and a willingness to breathe and listen to your own body. The Body Back Buddy allows you to control the intensity of your massage, staying within your own pressure comfort level. Also, treating trigger points manually can tax your thumbs and fingers -- using the Body Back Buddy limits strain on your wrists and hands. There's a Body Back Buddy for every body shape and need, so you can enjoy the benefits of therapeutic massage when and where it's convenient for you! Try the Body Back Buddy today, and experience the relief only a customized massage can provide.
Keep your eyes out for Trigger Points -- Part Two: How to Unknit Those Knots!
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Ended up grabbing a few more to double as self defense while keeping my muscles massaged and loose. Now no one can stop me!