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.