Ever felt a stubborn knot in your neck or back that just won't budge? Those are likely myofascial trigger points (TrPs)—tight, tender spots in your muscles that can radiate pain and decrease your mobility. As a hands-on practitioner, I see these knots daily, often tied to poor posture, stress, eating foods that cause inflammation, and spinal misalignment. Let's break down what's happening in your body—and how we can fix it.
Trigger points form when muscle fibers get "locked" in a contracted state. It starts with a biochemical glitch: motor endplates (where nerves meet muscle) release too much acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that tells muscles to contract. Normally, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) breaks this down, but in TrPs, that process stalls, leaving muscle fibers stuck "on." Add in a flood of calcium ions—usually pumped out using ATP (your cell's energy currency)—and the muscle can't relax due to an energy crisis. The result? Palpable knots that hurt locally and send pain elsewhere, like a shoulder knot making your arm ache.
But it's not just cellular chaos. These knots often signal deeper issues—like a misaligned spine or sticky fascia, that connective tissue web I'm always working on. A slouched posture or a tweaked vertebra can overwork muscles, creating TrPs as they strain to compensate. I tackle this with deep soft tissue work, moving the joints around to help realign your spine, easing nerve pressure and letting muscles chill out. Then, I use deeper fascial release to unstick the tissues around the knot—think of it as untangling a snarled thread so everything moves smoothly again.
Here's where TECaR heat therapy comes in as a game-changer. Applying TECaR heat boosts muscle temperature, way higher than a hot pack you can use at home, kicking up the release and uptake of calcium ions. This shortens contraction time and speeds relaxation—basically, it helps the muscle "let go." Studies show TECaR therapy also dials down muscle stiffness by increasing calmodulin, a protein that fine-tunes calcium signaling, and tweaking pathways like SERCA (which pumps calcium back into storage). The result? Looser fibers, less pain, and better recovery. I often send patients home with heat therapy tips—like a 15-minute warm towel or hot water bottle on the knot—because it pairs perfectly with our in-office work.
My approach ties it all together: nutrition or supplements to help reduce inflammation, adjustments to fix the joints, fascial work to free the tissues, and TECaR heat to melt the tension. One patient came in with a shoulder knot so tight she couldn't lift her arm. After a TECaR session, some fascial release, and me gently moving her shoulder around, she was reaching overhead by her next visit—smiling, not wincing. It's not a quick fix; it's a reset. You leave with a plan—stretches, posture tweaks, eat less processed foods—to keep those knots at bay.
Trigger points don't have to rule your life. By addressing the root (joints, fascia) and soothing the symptom (heat), we unlock your body's natural flow. Ready to move better? Let's untie those knots together.
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