DEFINITIONS OF MYOFASCIAL TRIGGER POINTS (MTRP)

Myofascial pain: pain arising from muscles or related fascia.

Active trigger point: an active trigger point causes spontaneous pain at rest, with an increase in pain on contraction or stretching of the muscle involved. There is often a restriction of its range of motion. Pain on motion may cause “pseudo-muscle weaknesses due to reflex inhibition.

Latent trigger point: deferrers from an active MTrP in that the nociceptors have become activated and sensitized but not enough to cause spontaneous pain to develop. However, a latent trigger point may restrict range of movement and result in weakness of the muscle involved and refer pain on compression. It is therefore possible to find latent MTrP in asymptomatic individuals.

Primary trigger point: the MTrP(s) whose nociceptor activity in a muscle or muscle group of muscles is primarily responsible for the pain syndrome, (can be active or latent). Read the rest of this entry »