Trigger point therapy is giving people relief from pain without surgery. If you’ve recently been recommended trigger point therapy by your chiropractor or physical therapist, you may already be seeing the benefits of this noninvasive therapy.
Multiple studies tout the immediate and significant gains offered by trigger point therapy for myofascial pain. However, some insurers and care providers are still reluctant to consider trigger point therapy a valid and mainstream treatment option for pain management and mobility restoration. At Guardian Medical in Denver, we’ve seen the way that patients enjoy healing and relief using trigger point therapy. That’s why we’re so passionate about helping our clients to document the benefits and efficacy of this treatment when healing from accidents and injuries. As medical doctors, we fully understand the benefits of integrative care that treats pain, stiffness, and dysfunction at the source.
Getting to the Bottom of Your Pain: What Are Trigger Points?
Trigger points are taut bands of skeletal muscle found in muscle groups throughout the body. They often resemble knots or marbles. If you’ve ever experienced muscle pain or stiffness, you may be familiar with the tender feeling that you get when trigger points are touched. Most people dealing with “knotted muscles” are actually experiencing trigger points in the calf muscles, hamstrings, quadratus lumborum muscles (lower back), iliotibial bandor (thigh), or trapezius muscles (neck). The symptoms of trigger points can include:
Active trigger points are knots that create pain in the immediate area. Passive trigger points are trigger points that create what is called referred pain. That means that a trigger point that’s present in the shoulder may create a radiating pain that is felt all down the arm. This is where the importance of an impeccable diagnosis with excellent care management becomes so important. Trigger points can only be healed when the correct trigger point is being treated.
What Is Trigger Point Therapy?
Chiropractors and physical therapists use trigger point therapy to manually relieve muscle knots that are causing pain, dysfunction, and a host of other symptoms. There are many different techniques for providing trigger point therapy. However, every technique focuses on manual adjustments that help to break up tension within the muscle to naturally restore muscle function.
Chiropractors and physical therapists aren’t just focused on relieving muscle knots. They’re also focused on investigating any underlying issues with body mechanics and posture that may be contributing to tense, painful knots. This is important because it means that the same professional capable of helping you to get immediate pain relief can also help you develop a plan for preventing the same injury or dysfunction from occurring again in the future.
A treatment plan for trigger points can include:
These techniques all achieve the goal of restoring blood flow and oxygen to an affected area to restore function. In addition, special techniques for removing blockages, breaking up scar tissue, and helping to properly align the fascia surrounding an affected muscle can also create long-term healing. Physical therapists and chiropractors are also capable of helping their patients to learn techniques for continuing the progress that is achieved at the office at home. In some cases, self-care strategies for trigger points can include foam rollers, at-home massagers, stretching exercises, sleep supports, or posture techniques. You may also be recommended ergonomic supports for your work desk to help reduce muscle strain and tension.
Reasons for Trigger Point Pain: Who Can Benefit From Trigger Point Therapy?
Trigger point dysfunction can happen to anyone. However, there are certain events and lifestyles that can increase the likelihood of experiencing muscle pain and dysfunction. Many people who receive trigger point therapy from chiropractors and physical therapists do so because they are looking for nonsurgical, medication-free treatment options to relieve pain and loss of mobility stemming from auto accidents, workplace incidents, or long-term physical strain.
Using Records and Documentation for Better Outcomes in Health.
At Guardian Medical, we strive to help our patients enjoy the relief and healing that can come from trigger point therapy as part of a comprehensive, organized approach to getting the best care possible from the best providers possible. Our state-of-the-art documentation technology allows us to flawlessly document all care milestones to help you easily submit claims, coordinate care among providers, and share information with your attorney.
Led by Dr. Rafer Leach and Dr. Nils Foley, the Guardian Medical team works with your care providers to deliver coordinated, dedicated care overseen by medical doctors. We offer expertise in emergency medicine and trauma, urgent care medicine, and anesthesiology/pain management. As third-party medical doctors, we’re able to bring an outside perspective regarding the necessity of care options like trigger point therapy to our patients seeking claims compensation stemming from auto accidents, workplace compensation, malpractice, and more. Please call Guardian Medical today at 303-222-0363. We offer same-day and next-day appointments at our friendly clinics for patients with urgent needs.