What’s a “Muscle Rock”?
A muscle rock is a term coined by Dr. Lou to describe a knot of muscle that feels like a rock.
Trigger Points and Fibromyalgia may be related. Get relief with trigger point therapy! Call for help today (207) 774-6251.
Trigger points, or knots of muscles, like the ones you feel in your upper trapezius muscles (shoulder area between your shoulder and neck), are inflamed, chronically tight muscles. The muscle tissue gets this way from an accumulation of stress. The stressors that most commonly causes trigger points are physical stress, like working at a computer, and mental stress that causes you to feel your neck and shoulders tighten. Trigger points are extremely common but are not normal. Trigger points can lead to bigger problems if trigger point therapy is not performed. Some sources even link fibromyalgia to the formation of trigger points.
Trigger points will often lead to different types of pain depending on their location. Trigger points in the gluteal muscles or performs muscles may lead to pain down the leg of the same side, mimicking sciatica. Trigger points in the low back may also lead to a sciatica pain syndrome and may also lead to low back pain or vulnerability to a low back “flare up”. Trigger points in the upper back, shoulders and shoulder blade region may lead to pain down the arms. These same areas may also cause pain up the neck and into the head. Trigger points in the upper trapezius muscles, or at the base of the skull in the back of the neck, can lead to tension headaches. Tension headaches can trigger migraine headaches and can lead to a host of other stress related issues.
How do you deal with trigger points?
Trigger point therapy is the application of consistent pressure to the trigger points for a therapeutic amount of time. Relief from trigger point pain can often be instant. We can even teach you how to use a “theracane” to work on these trigger points at home!
Dr. Lou Jacobs, Chiropractor in Portland, Maine, has been performing trigger point therapy for over 15 years. He has lectured on trigger points and trigger point therapy and offers this type of care in conjunction with chiropractic and acupuncture at Jacobs Chiropractic Acupuncture Center in Portland. To schedule an evaluation, call (207) 774-6251.