23/10/2015
Nodules, muscle knots or myofascial trigger points; there are many different names for this problem but meanings, causes and treatments are all same.
What is muscle knots/ nodules/ myofascial trigger points (MTPS)?
It is a contracted fibres (tissue fluid pollution or waste product of muscle cells) unable to release or inflamed or highly irritated spot. It is either filled with inflamed tissue or a mixture of tissue and fluid. Nodules are known to be harmless, however they are considered as abnormal growth.
What are the symptoms and why is it painful?
There will be pain in the area, hard and can be visible lumps superficially or under the skin. When palpated it feels like taunt band, soft ball or hard rock depending on their severity. Muscle knots can cause pain in two different ways, latent trigger point only hurts when you apply pressure and active trigger points are refer pain along your neural pathways causing pain in non-localised area. If this condition prolongs then this will lead to excess metabolic waste and oxygen use because blood flow to the area will stop, this sends pain signal to the brain.
Who gets them? Why do you get them and where?
Everyone has them but it is most common for active people. The cause of muscle knots are
- Over functioning of hormones
- Overgrowth of tissue
- Abnormal bunching of cells
- Accidents as in acute traumatic injury of sports strain
- Postural stress due to sitting too long with incorrect posture
- Lifting improperly
- Over stimulation of strenuous exercise and sports activities.
- And many more…
The most common cause would be acute sports injury, over functioning of the muscle, incorrect postural and stress.
If knots are frequently developed from lifting weights in shoulders, neck, upper or middle back it is more likely to be due to postural issue. It is common to find patients with knots on top half of the back.
Treatment
Nodules are frequently changeable and can disappear by their own. However, most of them are unlikely to disappear on their own especially if it is due to an injury or over activity and incorrect posture. The best way to get rid of this annoying knots and pain is by getting proper treatments, and at the same time with your effort of doing the home treatment on your own to increase the treatment result. For this sort of problem Acupuncture would be the best solution. Acupuncture can promote the energy and blood circulation to the area to relieve pain and help to reduce in the size of the nodules.
Home treatments:
1) Squeeze the muscle gently, and rub them in a circular motion. Repeatedly do these motions on all your body even the area that you don’t think to have knots.
2) Use tennis ball or a roller to roll around the area with light pressure until you feel mild pain in the muscle knots. Or using pressure, hold the ball for 30~60seconds and repeat this regularly every day.
3) Apply heat or cold compress to alleviate some of the pain or use a cooling spray in coordination with stretching.
4) A warm bath can help you and your muscles to relax. (especially after a long exhausting day)
5) Stretching your muscles and keeping them flexible. Consider of trying Taichi or yoga to combine relaxation and strengthening your muscles.
(However, be in mind that Acupuncture is a natural treatment so it will take time. Also result may vary depending on the severity of the condition and your body’s constitution)
