Anyone who’s ever had a knot in his or her back, shoulders or neck dreads the feeling: a hot, splintery pain that gets tighter and tighter throughout the day. Sometimes, you can even feel that small, crackling spot in your muscles that has become constricted, tugging on the rest of your back and causing stubborn discomfort. We offer a variety of solutions for this kind of trouble, including localized injections that can give days or weeks of relief, but massage is also an excellent way to manage those trigger point knots.

Participating in Your Massage

Unlike with some other forms of massage therapy that require no more than lying back and closing your eyes, a trigger point specialist needs your input. A good practitioner or massage therapist will be able to find these points in your muscles, but you still need to communicate the location and intensity of your pain.

• Your therapist may employ a variety of techniques involving repeated pressure and release on the sore spots.
• This can be painful at first, so be sure to communicate with your practitioner about how you’re feeling. If you need a lighter or a stronger touch, speak up.
• Your therapist or practitioner may help you handle the initial pain of tackling those trigger points by asking for deep breaths to relax your muscles further and fight the discomfort.
• Notice your trouble spots and discuss what you could do to alleviate pain there in the future: a new chair? Better posture? Targeted stretches?

Afterwards

Once a good practitioner has addressed your back’s muscular snarls, you might feel a little sore as your body surrenders to relaxing those points. But within a day or two, you’ll be enjoying a dramatic reduction of pain as your muscles function smoothly again. With attention to the right posture, and the daily stretches and exercises our experts can recommend, you can live free of those pesky, painful trigger points. At Non-Surgical Orthopaedics, we’re here to look at the whole picture, and help you when something goes wrong.  Schedule an appointment with us today by calling (770) 421-1420 or clicking on our web contact form.