During trigger point dry needling, a local twitch response may occur, and EMG studies have shown that after this occurs the EMG activity in the area is more normal. Trigger point dry needling can decrease the taught banding in the muscle fibers, allowing a more normal muscle contraction. Dry needling can help with treatment of trigger points by helping restore the dysfunctional tissue to a more normal tissue. Dry needling is discussed in an earlier post “ Dry Needling 101”.
Trigger points can be treated by stretching, manual therapy, massage, and often respond very well to trigger point dry needling. Areas of the muscle with trigger points show changes in pH, changes in neurotransmitter levels, and increases in levels of substances that are associated with pain and inflammation such as Substance P. Research has also shown that there are biochemical changes between normal muscle tissue and trigger points. This means when the EMG needle is inserted into a trigger point while the muscle is at rest, the area of muscle with the trigger point is producing recordings similar to voluntary muscle contraction. Trigger points also produce spontaneous electrical activity during EMG studies. This is not something that typically happens with healthy muscle tissue with palpation. What this means is that when palpated or pressed on, they can involuntarily cause a twitch. First, they give a local twitch response.
Trigger points have specific characteristics that cause pain and dysfunction. David Simmons have two books, “Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual”, that are great resources. If you are interested in learning more about trigger points and their referral patterns, Dr. The picture of the lower extremities, illustrating the muscular referral pattern of the Gluteus Minimus, is taken from the Travell and Simons books. For example trigger points in the Gluteus Minimus can cause pain down the leg that can mimic “sciatica” or radicular pain from the lumbar spine. Trigger points can refer pain to other parts of the body, and can sometimes mimic other diagnosis. Latent trigger points are taught bands in muscle tissue that are only painful when compressed. Active trigger points are a hyper-irritable spots/ taught bands in muscle tissue that hurt when you touch or compress them, but also can cause pain when not compressed. Trigger points can be divided into 2 main types, active trigger points and latent trigger points. We will also address how dry needling can help with the treatment of trigger points. Here, we are going to talk about the characteristics of trigger points. MDT discussed what trigger points are and what you can do about them. In a previous post, “ The Mystery of the Trigger Point”, Kim Kranz, PT, DScPT, SCS, Cert.