The term Trigger Point was first utilized by Dr. Janet G.Travell M.D. to describe nodules in muscle tissue that "triggered" pain when physically manipulated. Along with Dr. David Simons M.D., Dr. Travell spent most of a lifetime researching and developing a field of manual medicine that she termed Myofascial Pain. Drs.Travell and Simons authored two medical textbooks on the subject titled "Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction : The Trigger Point Manual Vol.I and II" .

A trigger point is a small area of muscle that remains tightly contracted all the time, even if the muscle itself is at rest. It is found in the muscle belly, where the nerve that controls that muscle attaches to it. The trigger point is not actually a problem with the muscle itself, but rather is a problem with the structure that connects the nerve and the muscle. Physically, a trigger point feels like a knot about the size of a pea in the muscle.

This is still a bit of a mystery. Perhaps its best to examine the function of pain itself for an answer to that question. In general, pain is a message from the body to the brain that serves to protect an injured body part or tissue. For example, the pain from a cut on your foot serves to prevent you from walking on it and doing additional damage. Likewise, referred pain from a trigger point serves to prevent you from using the muscle that harbors the trigger point.

I Recently had a miscarriage after christmas in '07 and my breast are tender there not sore or swollen just tender more towards the bottom i thought that it was the bra i was wearing but its not! I've had just one period and it was unbelievably abnormal. but I'm worried if I'm pregnant and anxious to know! At home pregnancy test came up negative I feel light cramps..

Just about any musculoskeletal pain or problem and even some complaints not seemingly related to the muscular system. Some examples include:

A Trigger Point is a self-sustaining irritated spot in the muscle which causes the muscle to gradually become tighter to shorten. This limits the function and motion of the muscle causing weakness and pain. Now comes the big mystery. The trigger point baffles the vast majority of the medical community because it refers the pain to a different area of the body, most of the time.

Prime candidates are people with chronic pain, who have received little relief from other treatments, drugs or surgeries. They may have been medically dismissed with a "Name" for their affliction such as: carpal tunnel, TMJ, migraines, fibromyalgia, bursitis, tendonitis, arthritis, trick knee, tennis elbow, radicular neuropathy, sciatica, stiff neck or low back pain. Survivors of strokes, head injuries, MS and polio may have little pain but do exhibit severe dysfunction and weakness.

A trigger point is a sensitive or irritable spot in the body that can be a main or associated source of pain conditions. Most often these spots are found in muscle and its lining (fascia) and are called "myofascial" trigger points. They can also be located in skin, ligament and tendon tissue. Trigger points can be causes for bands of pain radiating quite a distance from the actual trigger spot. Because of this "referred pain," trigger points can even mimic pinched nerves.

Unlike acupressure, TrPM is based on a Western medical model. It is the result of long years of research and documentation by many physicians including: Drs. Calliet, Rinzler, Grosshandler, Kraus, Sola, Simons and particularly Travell. Dr. Janet Travell, White House Physician to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, researched and published the specific pain patterns and symptoms caused by the specific trigger points. She showed how to successfully locate, treat and deactivate these trigger points.

Answer: A stop trigger point (i.e., a Sell-Stop or a Cover-Stop) is a pre-established point at which we are going to feel uncomfortable about continuing to hold a position if the stock's price crosses it. For example, in the case of a Long Position, this discomfort would occur because the weekly closing price has gone lower than we really want it to. In the case of a Short Position, this discomfort would occur because the weekly closing price has gone higher than we really want it to.

Trigger point injections are another method used to help treat pain in the neck and shoulder areas that can contribute to headache formation. These injections are given after location of tender muscle areas. The patient is able to perform all activities after these injections, including driving and/or going back to work.

The purpose of trigger point therapy is to eliminate pain and to re-educate muscles into pain free habits. After several treatments, the swelling and stiffness of neuromuscular pain is reduced, range of motion is increased, tension is relieved, and circulation, flexibility, and co-ordination are improved.

Doing the special exercises at home at least 3 times a day is essential for full recovery. The slight bruise can be helped by a moist heating pad, Tylenol or buffered Aspirin. Warm baths in the morning and at bedtime can relax muscles and promote rest. After treatment, pain from the trigger point is gone or greatly improved. Other tender spots in the body may then feel more painful, creating the impression that pain has shifted.

Trigger point and Myotherapy are pain-relief techniques to alleviate muscle spasms and cramping. The therapist locates and deactivates 'trigger points', which are often tender areas where muscles have been damaged or acquired a re-occuring spasm or 'kink' that worsens painfully when aggravated. The major goals are to reduce spasm inducing new blood flow into the affected area. The spasms are partly maintained by nervous system feedback (pain-spasm-pain) cycle.