Trigger point

A trigger point is a localized, hyperirritable spot within a taut band of skeletal muscle. Pressure can provoke local pain or pain referred to another area.

Referred pain: Pain perceived at a location different from its source. Pressure on a trigger point can produce pain beyond the muscle containing it.
Trigger point examination: Clinical palpation used to assess tenderness and other findings associated with a suspected trigger point. Pressure sensitivity and referred pain are among the findings clinicians may assess.
Tender point: A localized area of tenderness elicited by pressure, without necessarily producing referred pain or a taut band. Tender points lack some characteristic findings used to describe trigger points.
Trigger point palpation reliability: The consistency with which clinicians identify trigger points by touch. Variation between examiners complicates diagnosis and comparison of clinical studies.
Taut band: A palpable, rope-like region of tense skeletal muscle fibers. Trigger points are identified within these bands of muscle.
Dry needling: A treatment technique that inserts fine needles into tissue without injecting medication. It is commonly used to target suspected trigger points, though evidence and protocols vary.
Fibromyalgia: A chronic disorder characterized by widespread pain, fatigue, and other symptoms. Its widespread pain is distinct from the regional muscle pain often attributed to trigger points.
Myofascial trigger point controversy: Debate over the definition, diagnostic validity, and biological basis of myofascial trigger points. Researchers disagree about whether trigger points are distinct, reliably measurable lesions.
Motor endplate: The specialized region where a motor neuron communicates with a muscle fiber. One hypothesis links trigger-point activity to abnormal signaling at this neuromuscular junction.
Trigger point injection: A procedure in which a needle is placed into a painful muscle trigger point, sometimes with injected medication. It is an invasive option for treating persistent localized muscle pain.

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Acupuncture pointCompared with: Trigger points are identified through muscle findings, unlike points defined by traditional meridian maps.