Myotherapy is an effective complimentary therapy for long-term pain relief. It works by applying pressure to the various “trigger points” in the muscles of the body. Trigger points are created when a certain muscle has been damaged by an injury, either through sports, accidents, illness, or birth.
Syndromes of myofascial pain are caused by the irritation of very sensitive areas called trigger points. These points can be found in the muscle itself or in the fibrous membrane covering the muscles. They are originally caused by extreme stress or strain to the muscle tissue. When these trigger points are stimulated by meeting other stresses, either physical or emotional, the trigger point responds by causing intense muscle spasms and pain. The stimulation of the points can also cause stiffness and weakness by spreading to other parts of the body. Typically, referred pain caused by the trigger points follows a known pattern. They often form a vicious cycle of spasms causing more pain, which in turn causes more spasms.
What the myotherapist does is use a compression technique to ease the pain. The therapist presses on these trigger points for about five to seven seconds to bring about relaxation. Often during a session the trigger points can be erased so that the patient no longer suffers from pain. Then the therapist re-educates the muscle to its normal resting condition using corrective exercise programs. This is done through a series of specially designed exercises. The exact exercises will depend on the person, as each session will be specifically designed for the individual. Each patient will be trained in their own set of exercise that will keep them pain free.
The pressure applied by the therapist may be a bit painful at first but will go away as soon as the pressure is released. At the end of the session, the muscles are gently stretched and taken through a series of exercises to enhance their range of motion. Since the technique is relatively simple, patients can be taught the procedure so that they can complete the exercises ate home between sessions.
The corrective exercise program part of the treatment is the key to long-term relief from pain. Once the trigger points have been erased, exercise should be enjoyable again and will help keep the body strong and healthy, preventing the development of any new trigger points or injuries. The types of exercise will be suggested and initially monitored by the myotherapist.
Myotherapy can be a valuable therapy to athletes. Since many athletes are using their muscles intensively on a daily basis, they can be damaged even to the point of injury as a result of muscle spasms. Myotherapy exercise can help athletes increase strength and flexibility while helping them to prevent injuries by reducing the likelihood of getting muscle pulls. This in turn will radically enhance their performance, and can be used in conjunction with sports massage.
Ninety-five percent of chronic pain is related to the muscles. Myotherapy is always effective when it comes to relieving pain that is muscle related, so the chances of this therapy working for you are extremely high.