Trigger points disturb the flow of body fluids (blood, lymph), nerve impulses and energy in the tissues, causing muscle tensions to increase. Often patients get into a cycle of tension and pain. Trigger points are hypersensitive areas in a stiff musculature. These areas are (pressure) painful and usually also spread to other body regions.

They arise from overstraining of the muscles, one-sided movements, false posture or injuries, as well as from the lack of regeneration in athletes. Trigger points are spots with an increased degree of irritability – they can become irritated by strain, then causing specific pain even within other body areas. Trigger point massage aims at relieving these points with the help of pressure, thus also relieving the pain. The massage is suitable to be combined with other treatments.

Usually, active trigger points are the size of a few milimeters only and react with pain when pressure is put on them. During therapy sessions, it is the patient who decides on the degree of pressure the therapist exerts. They also can demand pauses (‘stop’). Pain during therapy may be uncomfortable at first. Nevertheless, it will cause overall pain reduction soon and disappear entirely after a while