TRIGGER POINT THERAPY.
Deactivating the Source of Referred Pain.
Trigger points in one muscle cause pain in an entirely different part of the body. The pain you feel is rarely where the problem originates.
WHAT ARE TRIGGER POINTS?
Myofascial trigger points are small, hyperirritable spots within a taut band of muscle fiber where the normal sarcomere contraction cycle has become stuck in an activated state. The muscle cannot fully release, creating a localized knot of sustained tension that is tender to pressure and generates what is called "referred pain" — discomfort in a location away from the trigger point itself.
A trigger point in the shoulder, for instance, reliably produces headaches. A trigger point in the gluteal muscles sends pain down the leg in a pattern that closely mimics sciatica. A trigger point in a small neck muscle can produce what feels like sinus pressure or a toothache. This predictable mapping was systematically documented by Drs. Janet Travell and David Simons in their foundational clinical work, and it explains why so many chronic pain conditions persist despite treatment of the symptomatic area.
Trigger point therapy deactivates these spots through precise, sustained pressure — releasing the sustained contraction, restoring normal circulation, and eliminating the referral pattern at its source.
HOW TRIGGER POINTS FORM.
Trigger points develop through three primary mechanisms, each requiring a different clinical approach:
Acute Trauma
A single event — a fall, a car accident, a sports injury — can overload muscle fibers and create trigger points that persist long after the initial injury heals. These often respond well in fewer sessions because the compensation pattern has not had time to become systemic.
Repetitive Overuse
Repeated movement patterns, particularly ones that use the same muscles through the same range, create cumulative microtrauma. Common in desk workers (cervical and shoulder trigger points), cyclists (hip flexor and piriformis), and athletes with sport-specific loading patterns. The trigger points tend to cluster in predictable locations based on the activity.
Sustained Contraction
Prolonged postural loading — sitting with poor support, chronic stress that manifests as jaw clenching or shoulder elevation, sleeping in a compromised position — keeps muscles in continuous low-level contraction. Over time, these muscles develop trigger points not from a single event, but from never fully releasing. This is the most common pattern in chronic pain patients.
WHERE YOUR PAIN ACTUALLY COMES FROM.
Trigger point referral patterns are predictable and clinically mapped. Here are some common examples — each one explaining why treating the site of pain often fails:
Trigger Point Location
Refers Pain To
Often Misdiagnosed As
Upper Trapezius
Temple, behind the eye, base of skull
Tension headaches
Infraspinatus (Rotator Cuff)
Front of shoulder, biceps, forearm
Shoulder & arm pain misdiagnosed as bursitis
Piriformis
Down the posterior leg
Sciatica-like symptoms
Iliopsoas (Hip Flexor)
Lower back, inner thigh
Chronic low back pain
SCM (Neck)
Behind the ear, forehead, sinus area
Sinus headaches, dizziness, eye pain
Extensor Carpi Radialis
Back of the forearm, into the hand
Tennis elbow, wrist pain
CONDITIONS WE TREAT.
WHY TREATING THE TRIGGER POINT ISN'T ENOUGH.
A trigger point that keeps returning is almost always a symptom, not the cause. Something upstream is continually overloading that muscle — an inhibited antagonist, a compensatory movement pattern, a structural imbalance. Deactivating the trigger point without addressing the driver provides temporary relief, which is why so many clients report the same pain returning within days or weeks of treatment.
At Eclipse Wellness, trigger point therapy is performed within a full neuromuscular assessment. We identify and treat the trigger point, then address the compensation chain creating the demand on that muscle. For conditions driven by fascial restriction, myofascial release is integrated into the session to address the connective tissue layer loading the muscle.
This integrated approach is the difference between temporary relief and lasting change.
SESSION RATES.
45 Minute Session
60 Minute Session
Most popular75 Minute Session
90 Minute Session
120 Minute Session
Prices apply to all offered manual therapy techniques. We accept Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.
COMMON QUESTIONS.
Is trigger point therapy the same as a deep tissue massage?
No. Deep tissue massage applies firm, continuous strokes to address overall muscle tension. Trigger point therapy uses precise, sustained pressure on specific hypertonic spots — identified through assessment, not guesswork — to deactivate the abnormal muscle contraction at the source. The goal is not general relaxation but the elimination of a specific pain pattern.
Will trigger point therapy bruise me?
Bruising is uncommon with properly applied trigger point therapy. The pressure is firm but targeted. You may experience some soreness in the treated area for 24–48 hours afterward, similar to post-exercise soreness, as the muscle tissue recovers. This typically resolves quickly and is followed by notable pain reduction and improved mobility.
Can trigger points cause headaches?
Yes. Some of the most clinically well-documented trigger point referral patterns involve the head and neck. Trigger points in the upper trapezius refer pain to the temple, behind the eye, and along the jaw. Suboccipital trigger points send pain deep into the head. Sternocleidomastoid trigger points can mimic sinus headaches and even produce dizziness. Many chronic tension headaches resolve when the cervical and shoulder trigger points driving them are deactivated.
I've had massage before and the pain keeps returning. Will trigger point therapy be different?
Possibly — it depends on the cause. If your pain returns consistently after massage, it usually means one of two things: either the trigger point itself is being treated but the condition creating it (postural dysfunction, inhibited muscles, structural overload) is not being addressed; or the treatment is relieving surface tension without locating the actual trigger point. We address both: we deactivate the trigger point and identify the driver behind it. Without the latter, relief is always temporary.
How quickly does trigger point therapy work?
Many clients experience immediate or same-session relief, particularly for referred pain patterns. A shoulder trigger point driving arm pain may produce a noticeable reduction in that pain within minutes of deactivation. Chronic conditions with multiple active trigger points typically require several sessions. Your therapist will give you a realistic expectation at your first visit based on the number and severity of the trigger points identified.
STOP CHASING THE PAIN.
Book a session and let us find — and treat — the source.