Chiropractic care is one of the most effective treatments for trigger point release. Active adults and non-athletes alike can experience trigger points caused by overuse or injury of the muscles. These trigger points or muscle “knots” cause symptoms of tension, tightness, immobility and pain. And while massage therapy is also a popular, noninvasive option for symptom relief, the way trigger points react to acupuncture and fire cupping with chiropractic care is less painful and often, more immediate. If you are prone to suffer from painful muscle knots and tension, read on to learn more on how the team at Tannenbaum Chiropractic in Beverly Hills can help release your trigger points.
Call the Beverly Hills acupuncturists and fire cupping therapists at Tannenbaum Chiropractic to learn more about trigger points and schedule your appointment!
What Are Trigger Points?
Trigger points are also known as myofascial trigger points. They are sensitive, often very sore spots in your soft tissue than cause tension, pain, and sometimes even immobility. These sore spots are referred to as trigger points because they are the point where tightly contracted muscle cramps up. Muscle is essentially made up of tiny fibers that expand and contract, so when muscles are overused or injured, that contraction can get stuck. We often call these “knots” and the pain caused by them can extend through other areas of the body, even causing migraines. Trigger point therapy includes different approaches to relieving trigger points through application of pressure and release that encourages healthy blood flow to the area.
What is Trigger Point Therapy?
Trigger point therapy is an excellent source of relief for people experiencing muscle knotting, tension, and tightening. Especially if you are an active person or athlete, repetitive motions and overuse can cause stressed or injured muscles that lead to painful knots. By treating the trigger points affecting you, a specialist will look at the muscle groups causing issue and assess your needs accordingly through the release of your specific trigger points.
Releasing trigger points can be accomplished a number of ways, and which treatment is right for you is dependent on the cause of the knot itself. Overused muscles can contract and shorten, causing a chronic issue. Injuries and conditions such as tendonitis can also cause trigger points to occur, as well as lifestyle habits such inactivity and poor posture, especially “tech neck.” Your chiropractor will discuss lifestyle factors that could be contributing to these trigger points, how far the pain extends, and what approach is best for you.
Acupuncture and Trigger Point Therapy
Acupuncture is one of the most sought after treatments to release trigger points. Acupuncture uses the process of inserting needles to stimulate the acupoints in the body, which then elicit a twitch response by your muscles. This contraction releases histamines and relaxes blood vessels, which in turn increases blood flow to the trigger point, thereby releasing it and dissipating the tension all through your body’s natural response process.
The acupuncture treatment itself uses a tiny needle that allows access into muscles without causing excessive pain of muscle or bruising like massage therapy sometimes can. Instead, the acupuncture needles quickly releases the trigger point. An acupuncturist also understands that some trigger points are connected to different acupoints, so a full acupuncture session is most effective. This holistic approach to trigger point therapy prevents a cascading effect of tension to reoccur by ensuring all necessary trigger points are released.
Fire Cupping to Release Trigger Points
Fire cupping is a 3,000 year old practice that uses a combination of heat and suction as a noninvasive healing treatment. In fire cupping, a professional will use a fire source to create suction in a cup by removing the oxygen from it. The cup is placed onto the skin in the designated area, and the suction creates a “negative pressure” to release tension from deep within the muscles. Deep tissue massages, in contrast, use downward pressure (or positive force) to release tension.
With fire cupping, trigger point release is achieved by loosening the joints, muscles, and fascia, and targeting specific areas of concern. This treatment is highly effective and a favorite among athletes and those with chronic pain. Additionally, there are several other benefits to fire cupping for your physical and mental health!
Release Trigger Points with Acupuncture and Fire Cupping at Tannenbaum Chiropractic in Beverly Hills
Whether you choose acupuncture, fire cupping, or a combination of the two as part of your trigger point therapy treatments, you will likely need several appointments to fully release your trigger points. The number of appointments will depend on how deep the trigger points are, the severity and longevity of pain caused by the trigger points, where they are located on the body, as well as how taut the muscles causing the knot are. Like all holistic approaches to treatment, your trigger point therapist will assess your individual needs, as well as lifestyle changes that may need to be altered to prevent your trigger points from returning.
The professionals at Tannenbaum Chiropractic provide trigger point therapy treatments at our relaxing boutique practice so you can have ultimate relief. When you schedule an acupuncture or fire cupping appointment with our Beverly Hills team, we will provide you with information needed to personalize your treatments and ensure you receive the pain and tension relief you need so you can live the life you deserve.
Schedule an acupuncture or fire cupping appointment today or visit our Beverly Hills practice for a consultation with our highly trained chiropractic care team at Tannenbaum Chiropractic!
