Paravertebral Trigger Points
Paravertebral trigger points are tight localized knots or lumps in the muscles either side of the spine which cause back pain. Trigger points can be active or latent.
Symptoms of Active Trigger Points
- Back pain.
- Tight muscles in the back.
- An active trigger point will cause pain even at rest.
- The trigger point will be painful if pressed and may cause referred pain (e.g. pressing in at one point causes pain somewhere else).
- An active trigger point may cause a twitching in the muscle.
Symptoms of Latent Trigger Points
- Tenderness at a specific point but pain is not referred to other areas when the trigger point is pressed.
- Trigger point does not stimulate a twitching in the muscle.
Treatment of Paravertebral Trigger Points
- Cold therapy and stretching has been suggested as a form of treatment.
- Deep tissue sports massage techniques are an excellent way of treating muscular trigger points.
