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Treatment

Trigger point therapy

Sustained pressure on the tight, tender knots that refer pain to other parts of the body.

A trigger point is a small, hyper-irritable knot in a tight band of muscle. Its defining feature is that pressing it reproduces pain somewhere else — press one in the upper trapezius and the pain may appear at the temple.

That referral pattern is why trigger points get missed. People treat where it hurts, and the actual culprit sits somewhere else entirely.

What happens

The point is located by feel, then held under steady pressure until the tissue softens — usually somewhere between ten and sixty seconds. It is often uncomfortable in a very specific, recognisable way, and clients frequently say “that is the pain” when the right point is found.

Afterwards

The area can feel tender for a day or so. Trigger points usually have a cause — posture, a movement habit, a weakness elsewhere — so lasting results come from sorting that too, not from repeatedly pressing the knot.

Common referral patterns

The referral is the useful part, because it tells you where to look rather than where it hurts:

  • Upper trapezius — pain up the side of the neck to the temple, a common driver of tension headaches.
  • Gluteus medius and piriformis — pain into the buttock and down the leg, which is often mistaken for sciatica.
  • Infraspinatus — deep pain at the front of the shoulder, felt nowhere near the muscle causing it.
  • Soleus and gastrocnemius — pain into the heel, frequently the real reason plantar fasciitis will not settle.

How many sessions

An active trigger point often releases within a session or two. Whether it stays released depends on the cause. If a weak glute is making the calf overwork, the calf trigger point comes back every time until the glute is dealt with.

That is why this is rarely used on its own — it is paired with soft tissue release, sometimes acupuncture, and exercises addressing whatever is loading the muscle badly.

Afterwards

Tenderness in the area for a day or two, occasionally a little bruising, and frequently a noticeable drop in the referred pain within a few hours. Keep the muscle moving gently rather than resting it completely.