Find Trigger Point Therapy Near Me Today
Need professional Trigger Point Therapy? You are in the right place. With office visits in Monmouth Beach, and home therapy visits in Long Branch, Red Bank, Oceanport, Little Silver, Rumson and Fair Haven, we’ll help get on the track to recovery today.
If you’re looking for relief from deep, chronic pain, you may find that trigger point therapy can help. Trigger points are hyperirritable spots in skeletal muscle tissue that cause referred pain. With the help of a certified practitioner near you, you can find relief and start feeling better with trigger point therapy as soon as possible.
What is Trigger Point Therapy and What are the Benefits?
Trigger point therapy can provide relief from persistent pain, improve flexibility and range of motion, and reduce recovery time after exercise. It is also a great tool to promote overall health and well-being. The benefits of this type of therapy can vary depending on each individual’s needs and circumstances so it’s important to discuss your goals with a certified practitioner before starting treatment.
Trigger point therapy involves the placement of either gentle firm manual pressure or ultra thin needles to specific areas known as pressure points or trigger points. Trigger point release uses pressure. Trigger point dry needling uses needles. Needling produces quicker and more intense results, but both are valuable. The treatment, provided by a physical therapist, relaxes and normalizes the tissues. Pain diminishes during the very first session as the taught bands let go.
Trigger points are bands of taught muscle, typically caused by overuse, injury, or sustained contraction. They tend to remain tight even when you actively try to relax the muscle. Over time, the blood flow becomes restricted and chemicals build up within the cells. These chemicals cause pain, they are similar to the chemicals felt when you push on a bruise. When a trigger point becomes ‘active ‘, it refers pain to another area. For example, a calf trigger point may be felt in the plantar fascia, on the bottom of the foot. In this case, it is very important to treat not only the painful area (the plantar fascia), but also the areas that refer (calf trigger points). This treats both causes of the pain, and also relieves the constant tension on the plantar fascia. We also look at contributing factors caused by other areas of the body.
Dry needling trigger point therapy treats the muscle and the surrounding fascia. Fascia is a widespread, sheath-like, fibrous tissue which encases all muscles. Fascial tissue is thin and flexible. It helps muscles, tendons, and nerves move together. However, when fascia is placed under stress from dehydration, injury, repetitive strain or poor posture, it loses flexibility and becomes tight. Tight fascia restricts movement between and within muscles. It can decrease blood flow and change your posture.
When needles are placed and wound, the fascia moves and stretches in a way that stimulates it to grow and loosen. This “fascia release” restores normal internal glide between muscles and thus restores normal movement.
Placing the needle in the trigger point also causes the muscle to vasodilate. The muscle tissue is flushed with new nutrients and the built up toxins are flushed out. This causes a break in the pain-spasm-pain cycle that is caused by trigger points. The muscle will usually feel sore after this release, but in a different way. When this happens, it means that your muscle is healing.
If you think you would benefit from trigger point therapy, fill out the Pre-Appointment Form.
How do I know if I have trigger points?
Trigger points can happen anywhere in the body. They may feel like local discomfort that doesn’t go away. Muscles may be tense, or you may have spasms. It may feel like a knot. When active, there are certain patterns they will likely refer pain to. For example, neck trigger points can cause headaches behind the eye. Trigger points in the hip muscles refer down the iliotibial band.
Conditions which often benefit from trigger point therapy?
Fascial tissue runs throughout your body, so adhesions and activated trigger points can really be anywhere and can affect a wide number of structures. In our Monmouth Beach, NJ office, we use dry needling trigger point therapy which is very effective for:
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Greater trochanter syndrome and bursitis
- Sciatica
- Medial and lateral epicondylitis (golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow)
- Whiplash
- Osteoarthritis
- Adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder)
- Headaches
- Temporo-Mandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ)
How should I prepare for trigger point release or trigger point dry needling therapy?
During your initial consultation in the Monmouth Beach, NJ office, or in your home, the physical therapist will take you through an examination where she will look at your medical history and factors contributing to the current issue. You’ll be encouraged to ask questions to help gain insight into your unique condition. Evidence based physical therapy services such as therapeutic exercises, joint mobilizations, myofascial release, assisted stretching may be recommended in addition to the dry needling. If you are not a candidate for dry needling, other methods will be used to reach your goals.
Water is essential to helping your body heal, and the effects the outcomes of your sessions, so it is recommended that you aim for one third to one half your body weight in fluid ounces per day.
Struggling with pain? We can help.
Request an appointment to learn more about trigger point therapy and other drug-free techniques. We’re happy to help you to feel better as soon as possible.