RE: benefits of massage therapy

[Guest guest]

I too am a firm adherent of trigger point massage/pressure/injections. I

injured my upper back in 1994 (I can't believe it's been TEN years!) and nothing

showed up on X-ray or MRI, but the pain generated in my spine caused all the

muscles to the right of it to contract. They were in a chronic state of

contraction for 2 years before I found someone who could help me. That was a

physical therapist who did deep tissue massage. She told me about the trigger

points, and showed me how to use a tennis ball between trigger points and the

wall or floor. I started using a tennis ball, and after a couple of months I

regained control of what was going on in my upper rights back. It was a

lifesaver.

When my IT band contracts, I get trigger points in my thigh. You also have them

in that soft part of your hip between the iliac crest and the greater trochanter

(hip joint), in your lower back (below the waist) and in the latissimus dorsi

for lower back pain. You also have them at the base of your skull & down the

neck in many places (when I say 'you have them " I mean if something's gone awry,

those places may become trigger points). You can tell you've hit a trigger

point if it " feels so good " . You also may feel referral of pain from where

you're pressing to another place (a lot of people writing about trigger points,

including the researchers who wrote the definitive document on them) say that

all trigger points refer pain -- that may be true as a potential -- they may all

be ABLE to refer pain -- but sometimes they don't refer pain, so don't go by

that). For example, the one at the base of my skull on the right refers to the

sinus. You can get rid of some headaches by pressing on trigger points. (I've

said " trigger points " so many times I'm beginning to feel like Roy .) You

need to find ALL the points that " feel so good " and press on each one for one

minute (if you have as many as I do, this can take a couple of hours, but it's

worth it). And you should also be aware that relief may not happen immediately,

but about half an hour later.

It's amazing what pressing on a trigger point for one minute can do for you.

And it's FREE!

I found out what trigger points are and why they cause pain. Here's what they

are: http://www.triggerpointbook.com/triggerp.htm The reason they cause pain

is that they restrict the flow of blood. After I give my back a good all-over

tennis-ball treatment, my back feels very stimulated from the increased blood

flow.

As for trigger point injections, my understanding is that docs will inject

lidocaine, cortisone, and/or botox into them. I've tried cortisone. Didn't

work. I'm sure lidocaine would work, but even the longest-lasting lidocaine

only works for 8 or so hours. Botox paralyzes the nerves so that they can't

contract. Over a 3-month period, the nerves will grow new endings, but

hopefully during that time, your muscles get out of the habit of contracting.

Ann

benefits of massage therapy

Just wanted to share how helpful I've found trigger point massage

therapy to be. Not only is the massage great, but no doctor or

physical therapist has yet to " investigate " my body like a good

massage therapist. Last week my massage therapist pointed out that

my right pelvis was rotated severely forward. She stated that I need

to get with a good personal trainer who can help me with that and my

chronic IT band problems. So, if you're having problems getting a

good diagnosis regarding pain in your soft tissue areas, hip pain,

etc, I suggest finding a good massage therapist and seeing what they

have to say.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the great link and info. I also tried cortizone and got absolutely

no relief. After reading posts from this group about the negative effects of

cortizone, I decided I'd never have injections again! Like you, I have trigger

points on the side of my thighs, lower back, and at the lower end of the IT

band (laterally just below knee). The pain at the lower end of the IT band has

been so severe lately, that I literally rubbed my leg raw there and caused a

sore. That's why I went back for more massage. I haven't tried a tennis ball,

but have used a rolling pin on my legs. I will try the ball. I also found

during my latest massage that have two really severe trigger points near both

shoulder blades. Wow, did it hurt when she pressed on those areas.

Re: benefits of massage therapy

I too am a firm adherent of trigger point massage/pressure/injections. I

injured my upper back in 1994 (I can't believe it's been TEN years!) and nothing

showed up on X-ray or MRI, but the pain generated in my spine caused all the

muscles to the right of it to contract. They were in a chronic state of

contraction for 2 years before I found someone who could help me. That was a

physical therapist who did deep tissue massage. She told me about the trigger

points, and showed me how to use a tennis ball between trigger points and the

wall or floor. I started using a tennis ball, and after a couple of months I

regained control of what was going on in my upper rights back. It was a

lifesaver.

When my IT band contracts, I get trigger points in my thigh. You also have them

in that soft part of your hip between the iliac crest and the greater trochanter

(hip joint), in your lower back (below the waist) and in the latissimus dorsi

for lower back pain. You also have them at the base of your skull & down the

neck in many places (when I say 'you have them " I mean if something's gone awry,

those places may become trigger points). You can tell you've hit a trigger

point if it " feels so good " . You also may feel referral of pain from where

you're pressing to another place (a lot of people writing about trigger points,

including the researchers who wrote the definitive document on them) say that

all trigger points refer pain -- that may be true as a potential -- they may all

be ABLE to refer pain -- but sometimes they don't refer pain, so don't go by

that). For example, the one at the base of my skull on the right refers to the

sinus. You can get rid of some headaches by pressing on trigger points. (I've

said " trigger points " so many times I'm beginning to feel like Roy .) You

need to find ALL the points that " feel so good " and press on each one for one

minute (if you have as many as I do, this can take a couple of hours, but it's

worth it). And you should also be aware that relief may not happen immediately,

but about half an hour later.

It's amazing what pressing on a trigger point for one minute can do for you.

And it's FREE!

I found out what trigger points are and why they cause pain. Here's what they

are: http://www.triggerpointbook.com/triggerp.htm The reason they cause pain

is that they restrict the flow of blood. After I give my back a good all-over

tennis-ball treatment, my back feels very stimulated from the increased blood

flow.

As for trigger point injections, my understanding is that docs will inject

lidocaine, cortisone, and/or botox into them. I've tried cortisone. Didn't

work. I'm sure lidocaine would work, but even the longest-lasting lidocaine

only works for 8 or so hours. Botox paralyzes the nerves so that they can't

contract. Over a 3-month period, the nerves will grow new endings, but

hopefully during that time, your muscles get out of the habit of contracting.

Ann

benefits of massage therapy

Just wanted to share how helpful I've found trigger point massage

therapy to be. Not only is the massage great, but no doctor or

physical therapist has yet to " investigate " my body like a good

massage therapist. Last week my massage therapist pointed out that

my right pelvis was rotated severely forward. She stated that I need

to get with a good personal trainer who can help me with that and my

chronic IT band problems. So, if you're having problems getting a

good diagnosis regarding pain in your soft tissue areas, hip pain,

etc, I suggest finding a good massage therapist and seeing what they

have to say.

[Guest guest]

Are you sure that sore point lateral to your knee is a trigger point? Does it

really " hurt so good " ? I'm sore there too, but it feels more like something

injured there, like maybe my lateral collateral ligament. There are a lot of

different tissues in there -- the lateral retinaculum, the IT band goes through

there, various tendons connecting the quads to the femur, and that pesky LCL.

Also my new OS told me that if you have a torn meniscus, it can cause pain

there, outside the knee, and here's why (very interesting, I thought).

Firstly, the inner 2/3 of the meniscus has no pain nerves and no blood supply.

A little oversight by God when he designed knees, because no blood supply means

no healing. Anyway, let's say your meniscus has what they call a bucket handle

tear, in which the tear may run across the meniscus front to back, but hasn't

broken away. He said that when you take a step (or otherwise bend your knee

under pressure), the femur pushes the torn part away, causing a lot of pull at

the corners where it's still attached. The outer part of the meniscus, the

thick part, is fairly pliable and has some (limited) movement. The outer 1/3 of

the meniscus does have pain nerves (and a blood supply -- so if you're going to

tear your meniscus, be sure to tear the outer portion of it), and this

repetitive pulling irritates it muy mucho. Since the outer edge of the meniscus

is right there with all those other tissues right at the joint, this can cause

pain that seems to be in those other tissues. He told me this about 5 min.

before my operation last week, because I had read that the meniscus doesn't have

pain nerves and I couldn't understand why my torn meniscus could be crippling me

so much. (I still have a lot of swelling from the operation, so it's still too

early to tell whether his removing the torn part will help. I hope he's right.)

Ann

benefits of massage therapy

Just wanted to share how helpful I've found trigger point massage

therapy to be. Not only is the massage great, but no doctor or

physical therapist has yet to " investigate " my body like a good

massage therapist. Last week my massage therapist pointed out that

my right pelvis was rotated severely forward. She stated that I need

to get with a good personal trainer who can help me with that and my

chronic IT band problems. So, if you're having problems getting a

good diagnosis regarding pain in your soft tissue areas, hip pain,

etc, I suggest finding a good massage therapist and seeing what they

have to say.

[Guest guest]

I'm not sure why the lateral side of my knee hurts so bad. I've even posted to

this group about it before, but didn't get many answers. I've had a couple of

" professionals " tell me that the spot that hurts corresponds with the end of the

IT band. The spot is right in the middle of the side of my leg, beside my

middle knee (if that makes sense). In a sitting position, it hurts right in the

soft spot about an inch laterally from my knee and hurts down to the bone that

protrudes laterally where the knee bends...

Re: benefits of massage therapy

Are you sure that sore point lateral to your knee is a trigger point? Does it

really " hurt so good " ? I'm sore there too, but it feels more like something

injured there, like maybe my lateral collateral ligament. There are a lot of

different tissues in there -- the lateral retinaculum, the IT band goes through

there, various tendons connecting the quads to the femur, and that pesky LCL.

Also my new OS told me that if you have a torn meniscus, it can cause pain

there, outside the knee, and here's why (very interesting, I thought).

Firstly, the inner 2/3 of the meniscus has no pain nerves and no blood supply.

A little oversight by God when he designed knees, because no blood supply means

no healing. Anyway, let's say your meniscus has what they call a bucket handle

tear, in which the tear may run across the meniscus front to back, but hasn't

broken away. He said that when you take a step (or otherwise bend your knee

under pressure), the femur pushes the torn part away, causing a lot of pull at

the corners where it's still attached. The outer part of the meniscus, the

thick part, is fairly pliable and has some (limited) movement. The outer 1/3 of

the meniscus does have pain nerves (and a blood supply -- so if you're going to

tear your meniscus, be sure to tear the outer portion of it), and this

repetitive pulling irritates it muy mucho. Since the outer edge of the meniscus

is right there with all those other tissues right at the joint, this can cause

pain that seems to be in those other tissues. He told me this about 5 min.

before my operation last week, because I had read that the meniscus doesn't have

pain nerves and I couldn't understand why my torn meniscus could be crippling me

so much. (I still have a lot of swelling from the operation, so it's still too

early to tell whether his removing the torn part will help. I hope he's right.)

Ann

benefits of massage therapy

Just wanted to share how helpful I've found trigger point massage

therapy to be. Not only is the massage great, but no doctor or

physical therapist has yet to " investigate " my body like a good

massage therapist. Last week my massage therapist pointed out that

my right pelvis was rotated severely forward. She stated that I need

to get with a good personal trainer who can help me with that and my

chronic IT band problems. So, if you're having problems getting a

good diagnosis regarding pain in your soft tissue areas, hip pain,

etc, I suggest finding a good massage therapist and seeing what they

have to say.