Muscles can develop "trigger points" - a hyper irritable spot that is painful. The goal of neuromuscular therapy is to relieve the pain and any other dysfunction by having the therapist locate and deactivate those points by using varying amounts of pressure.
How are trigger points formed?
Trigger points may form after a sudden trauma or injury, or they
may develop gradually over time. Common factors that can lead
to trigger points include:
- mechanical stresses to the body
- emotional stress
- repetitive overuse
- injuries
- nutritional problems
- sleep problems
- acute or chronic infections, organ dysfunction
- diseases or other medical conditions
What are the symptoms?
Many times, pain relief and increased range of motion can be experienced immediately.
Trigger points can cause:
- muscle weakness
- loss of coordination
- generalized tightening
- loss in range of motion
- inability of the muscles to tolerate use—in other words, those muscles are fatigued more easily and don’t relax as quickly once the muscle use stops
Symptoms not normally associated with muscle problems:
- headaches
- jaw pain
- swelling
- ringing in the ears
- loss of balance
- dizziness
- urinary frequency
- buckling knees, tearing of the eyes, stiff joints, generalized weakness, twitching or trembling
- areas of numbness or other sensations