Do you feel chronic pain in your knees?

Did you suffer from an injury that has left you with a constant feeling of discomfort in one or both of your hips?

Do the muscles in your neck and shoulders always feel like they are twisted in knots?

When you experience muscle pain, your quality of life can be affected. It may be much more difficult to sit or stand comfortably, which can make a day at the office feel like a year. Getting a good night's sleep probably seems like a full-time job with no benefits. And those workouts that you used to look forward to, now seem to end before they even start. Not being able to maintain and enjoy your routine lifestyle can be overwhelming and even depressing. 

You do not need to manage your pain and discomfort by yourself. WIth a trusted professional, such as a trigger point therapist, you can discover relief from your pain and regain your more active lifestyle. 

Target your trigger points with trigger point therapy.

One way to address muscle knots is with trigger point therapy. This pain-management treatment involves targeting specific areas of discomfort, or trigger points, where the muscle has contracted, resulting in spasms.

Trigger point therapy can help people with chronic muscle pain caused by a herniated disc, a motor vehicle accident, or overuse and overextension, according to Stacey Hildebrand, trigger point therapist at the Northport Wellness Center, Trigger point Therapy can also assist in relieving common pain and discomfort caused by sitting hunched over at a desk in front of a computer screen or on the telephone.

How does trigger point therapy work?

Depending on your condition, the trigger point therapist will first position you in a certain way and then clean the problem area with rubbing alcohol in order to inject a small amount of lidocaine into the body. The injection numbs the muscle spasm, alleviating the pain. A trigger point therapy treatment session usually lasts about 15 minutes. According to Ms. Hildebrand, most patients report that they feel relief "almost instantaneously."

You won't skip a beat after a trigger point therapy session, Ms. Hildebrand assures. There is no need to clear your schedule or decrease your activity levels. "They can drive. They can take a shower," she adds.

The best part about trigger point therapy is that after just a few sessions, depending on the severity of your condition, as well as any external lifestyle factors, you could begin to notice positive changes in your symptoms and experience greater healing and recovery.

For the most effective results, Ms. Hildebrand recommends one trigger point therapy session per week for four to six weeks. Some patients may choose to continue with their treatments longer, while others may find they are able to self-manage their condition for a period of time following treatment knowing that they can safely resume if they require additional therapy. 

According to Ms. Hildebrand, some patients find that complimentary alternative treatments, such as chiropractic care and acupuncture, assist in healing of their chronic pain and discomfort. 

Benefits of Trigger Point Therapy

There are several benefits to receiving Trigger Point Therapy. They include:

• Pain relief
• Increased range of motion
• Decreased Stress
• Improved quality of life

Trigger point therapy is not limited to patients of a specific age. Athletes who experience muscle spasms that may be sports-related can benefit from trigger point therapy, for example, as well as elderly individuals whose pain may be caused by other conditions.

An injury or condition that affects one part of your body can impact the rest of your body, too. By treating your muscle knots, your overall physical and emotional health may improve. With less pain, you'll feel less stressed. With less stress, you'll be able to relax and enjoy your life more, just as you deserve.

While trigger point therapy is offered as an individual service at the Northport Wellness Center, it is also a service opportunity within our Spine & Joint Recovery program, which incorporates several services to assist individuals on a path to optimal health, free from pain and discomfort.  

To learn more about the programs and services available at the Northport Wellness Center, please call (631) 262-8505.