Most people are intimately familiar with muscle knots, which are more formally known as myofascial trigger points. Muscle knots happen when a muscle contracts around a hyper-irritable spot and will not release, causing hard bands to form, along with tenderness, stiffness and pain. These trigger points may also be the source of referred pain, which is when the pain felt in one part of the body is actually being caused by a trigger point elsewhere. Chicago Chiropractic is a refuge for you to come to eliminate this pain.
Muscle knots most often occur when you are under stress, either physical or psychological. Chronic or sudden muscle strain, injuries, accidents, infections, being sedentary and smoking are also some leading causes of trigger points. Though the area is small, it can radiate pain to larger areas, even to areas that contain no muscle—such as the joints—as the contracting muscle may pull on tendons and ligaments in a joint area. In some cases this may make it feel as though the pain is originating in the joint.
Muscle knots can be a key cause of headaches, neck and back pain. A trigger point map can show you the more than 600 different trigger points on the body, which everyone has in the same location, whether they are active or latent.
To help avoid the formation of knotted muscles, there are a few things you can do. Relaxation is important, and learning how to better manage stress can help a lot. Learning some breathing techniques is useful in handling stress, as are meditation and exercise. Also, be sure you drink enough water, as it can flush out the toxins that tend to accumulate in the muscles. Nutrition can help too—getting sufficient amounts of potassium and calcium in your diet is essential for the health of your muscles. Eat a banana once in a while to get a good supply of potassium, and if you eat a lot of green leafy vegetables, you can be sure to get enough calcium.
Stretching and yoga are both helpful in keeping muscles limber and stretched so they are less likely to spasm and knot up. Dr. Kauf is trained in trigger point therapy and specializes in relieving knotted muscles. He can help you can break the cycle of your muscle knots and spasms, allowing you to proceed through your day pain-free.
Call your Chicago CHIROPRACTOR at Chicago Chiropractic today – 312-337-4004.