Understanding Trigger Points and Illness/InfectionHave you ever noticed muscle pain and tender spots without any obvious reason, especially when you don't have other symptoms that would make you aware of an underlying infection or disease? Surprisingly, what may seem like purely musculoskeletal pain can actually be due to an infection, even if you haven't experienced typical symptoms like fever or sore throat. Understanding why this happens can help you manage your pain more effectively. When you're dealing with an infection like a cold, you might notice muscle pain and tender spots, even if you haven’t done anything to strain your muscles. These painful spots are known as trigger points (TrPs), and they can appear during or after an illness due to several interconnected factors. Let's explore why this happens and what you can do about it.  How Illness Leads to Trigger Points
Inflammatory Response Cytokine Release happens when you’re sick, your body releases substances called cytokines to fight off the infection. These cytokines can make your nerves more sensitive, leading to increased muscle pain and tension. Local inflammation throughout your body can worsen existing muscle issues or create new areas of tension, resulting in TrPs. Muscle Tension and Fatigue Increased Muscle Tension while being unwell is common and often the causes of muscle tension as well as body aches, shivering, and overall discomfort is the result. This added tension can contribute to the development of TrPs. Fatigue and weakness from illness, which can lead to poor posture and reduced physical activity. These factors strain your muscles, creating conditions that favour TrP formation. Reduced ATP Availability Energy Depletion results from fighting an infection and the usage of a lot of your body's energy, reducing the ATP available for muscle function. ATP is crucial for muscle relaxation, and its shortage can lead to TrPs. Metabolic Stress arises from the stress of battling an illness that can deplete your energy reserves, causing muscles to stay contracted and promoting TrP development. Sympathetic Nervous System Activation Stress Response gets activated with Illness, the sympathetic nervous system, part of your body’s stress response, which increases muscle tone and tension, contributing to TrPs. Poor Sleep and Recovery Sleep Disruption due to infections often disrupting sleep, impairing your body’s ability to recover and repair muscle tissue effectively. Poor sleep can exacerbate muscle pain and tension, increasing the likelihood of TrP formation. Impaired Healing from a lack of adequate rest during illness hinders muscle healing, leading to chronic tension and TrPs. Why Trigger Points can be Random and Localised Localised Muscle Use and Strain Compensatory Muscle Use can occur when sick since you might change your posture or muscle use to compensate for discomfort, leading to overuse or strain in specific muscle groups and causing localised TrPs. For example, frequent coughing can overwork the neck and upper back muscles, leading to TrPs. Nerve Sensitization from Illness can sensitise specific nerves, increasing pain perception in certain areas and leading to localised TrPs. Metabolic and Circulatory Factors Localised Energy Crisis where the energy demands on specific muscles might be higher due to illness-related activities, causing localised energy depletion and TrPs. Impaired Circulation from Illness can change blood flow and circulation, making areas with already compromised circulation more prone to TrPs. Practical Examples
Practical Implications Infections like a cold can lead to the formation of trigger points due to a combination of systemic inflammation, increased muscle tension, fatigue, reduced energy availability, stress responses, and disrupted sleep. These factors create an environment where muscles are more prone to tension and pain, resulting in localised and seemingly random TrPs. By understanding these mechanisms, you can take preventive and therapeutic measures to manage muscle pain during illness. Preventive Measures To reduce muscle tension and prevent trigger points, it is essential to stay well-hydrated, get adequate rest to support muscle recovery, and engage in regular physical activity. When sick, whether very symptomatic or not, even incorporating gentle stretching and varied movements for all regions of the body can significantly help in relieving muscle tension. Therapeutic Approaches Additionally, therapeutic approaches such as massage therapy are just as important as ever for alleviating muscle tension and dispelling/preventing TrP formation. Consulting a myotherapist for specialised treatment is an effective way to manage muscle pain and tension. Using pain management techniques, such as over-the-counter pain relievers, can also reduce inflammation and muscle tension. Take action today to prioritise your muscle health by staying hydrated, getting enough rest, and incorporating regular movement into your routine. Consider therapeutic approaches like massage and myotherapy especially in order to assess that it’s not something more serious, and don't hesitate to use pain management techniques to keep muscle tension at bay. By Ethan Farr, Sports Myotherapist Muscle pain isn’t always caused by injury or intense workouts. More often than not, the real culprits are small, unconscious habits we repeat daily or positions we stay in for prolonged periods of time—many of which slowly build tension, stress, and dysfunction in our muscles over time.  Here’s a breakdown of the most common muscle-wrecking habits—and what you can do to fix them.
1. Screen time and poor posture Whether it’s hours at a desk, sitting in front of a tv or doom scrolling endlessly on your phone, screen time often encourages poor posture. The most common issue? “Text neck”—where the head is craned forward and shoulders round inward, causing strain on the neck, shoulders, and upper back. The longer you stay in that position, the more your muscles adapt to it, shortening and tightening where they shouldn’t. How to Fix It:
2. Slouching at Your Desk/Repetitive Movements at Work If your job keeps you sitting or doing the same motion over and over (typing, lifting, scanning, etc.), it’s easy for muscular imbalances and joint strain to build up. Slouching compresses your lower back and hips and “switches off” the core adding load to your lower back and results in low back tightness and pain. While repetitive tasks overuse specific muscles and underuse others—leading to fatigue, tightness, irritation of the muscles and tendons or even chronic pain. How to Fix It:
You spend 6–8 hours a night in the same position—if your posture is off during sleep, that’s a long time for muscles to be stuck in awkward positions. Sleeping on your stomach can hyperextend your neck, while an unsupportive pillow can strain your shoulders and spine. How to Fix It:
4. Poor Walking Mechanics or Shoe Choices Walking is something we do every day without thinking—but poor mechanics or unsupportive shoes can silently wreak havoc on your muscles and joints over time. Common issues include overpronation (feet rolling inward) also considered to be collapsed arches or flat footed, heel striking too hard, or walking with imbalances due to past injuries or muscular tightness. Add in unsupportive or worn-out shoes, and you’ve got a recipe for chronic pain in the feet, knees, hips, or even your lower back. How to Fix It:
Final Thoughts Muscle pain doesn’t always start with a big event—it often begins with small, overlooked habits. But the good news? These habits are fixable. With regular posture checks, ergonomic tweaks, movement breaks, mindful sleep positioning, and better walking mechanics, you can significantly reduce unnecessary muscle tension and avoid long-term damage. If you’re feeling persistent pain or tension, don’t wait—get help early and book an appointment. The sooner you address it, the easier it is to fix. A combination of daily self-care and professional support (like massage, myotherapy, physiotherapy, or movement coaching) can keep your muscles moving well and pain-free for the long haul. By Rachael Bird, Myotherapist Cupping therapy and dry needling are two distinct therapeutic techniques used in complementary and alternative medicine, each with its own benefits and applications.  Cupping Therapy Method: Cupping therapy involves placing cups, typically made of glass, silicone, or plastic, on the skin, creating a vacuum or suction effect. This can be achieved through methods such as heat (fire cupping), suction pumps, or manual suction. We, however, do not use the glass/fire cupping method. Purpose: The suction created by cupping is believed to increase blood flow to the area, promote healing, and reduce muscle tension. It is often used to relieve pain, improve circulation, and address conditions such as muscle knots, tightness, and inflammation. Techniques: There are different techniques of cupping, including stationary cupping (cups are left in place for a specific duration), moving cupping (cups are moved across the skin), and wet cupping (which involves slight incisions on the skin before cupping). Conditions Treated: Cupping therapy is commonly used for musculoskeletal issues such as back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, and sports injuries. Dry Needling Method: Dry needling involves inserting thin needles (similar to acupuncture needles) directly into specific trigger points, tight bands of muscle (known as myofascial trigger points), or areas of pain and dysfunction. Purpose: The goal of dry needling is to stimulate these trigger points or areas of muscle tension, causing a local twitch response. This response can help release muscle knots, improve blood flow, reduce pain, and restore normal muscle function. Techniques: Dry needling techniques can vary, including superficial dry needling (targeting trigger points near the skin's surface) and deep dry needling (reaching deeper muscle layers). The depth and placement of needles depend on the individual's condition and the therapist's assessment. Conditions Treated: Dry needling is often used for musculoskeletal conditions such as muscle strains, tendonitis, sciatica, headaches (including tension headaches), and chronic pain syndromes. It is frequently integrated into physical therapy and rehabilitation programs. Key Differences Mechanism of Action: Cupping therapy primarily works through the creation of suction to increase blood flow and release muscle tension, while dry needling targets specific trigger points or tight muscles with needle stimulation. Tools Used: Cupping therapy uses cups to create suction, while dry needling utilizes thin needles for direct insertion into tissues. Application: Cupping therapy involves placing cups on the skin for a period of time, whereas dry needling involves the insertion and manipulation of needles into targeted areas. Both cupping therapy and dry needling can be effective in addressing musculoskeletal issues and promoting pain relief and healing. However, the choice between them may depend on factors such as the individual's condition and preferences of treatment. Ready to find the right treatment for your pain or muscle tension? Whether you're curious about cupping therapy or dry needling, our qualified myotherapists can help you choose the most effective option for your needs. Book your consultation today to take the first step toward better movement, less pain, and faster recovery. By Rachael Bird, Myotherapist If you've ever experienced muscle tension or pain, you know just how debilitating it can be. Whether it's from an intense workout, an injury, or simply the stress of daily life, muscle discomfort can disrupt your routine and quality of life. But did you know that one of the most effective remedies for these aches and pains is something we often take for granted – sleep? Let’s delve into the fascinating connection between sleep and muscle tension and pain recovery. You'll discover why those nightly hours of shut-eye are absolutely crucial for your body's healing and regeneration processes.  1. Muscle Repair and Growth
While you're snoozing, your body gets to work repairing and building muscle tissue. Growth hormone, a vital player in this process, is released during deep sleep. Those tiny micro-tears in your muscle fibers, whether from exercise or strain, are mended during this phase, contributing to muscle recovery and growth. 2. Inflammation Reduction Inflammation is a natural response to muscle injury, but too much of it can worsen pain and slow down recovery. Proper sleep helps control inflammation levels, reducing pain and promoting faster healing. 3. Pain Threshold Regulation Ever noticed that when you're sleep-deprived, you're more sensitive to pain? It's not your imagination. Lack of sleep can lower your pain threshold, intensifying muscle tension and discomfort. Good sleep helps maintain a higher pain threshold, making it easier to manage muscle tension. 4. Energy Restoration Your energy levels are restored during sleep, and this can have a significant impact on muscle health. When you're well-rested, you're more inclined to engage in physical activity, which, in turn, helps release muscle tension. On the flip side, fatigue from inadequate sleep can make your muscles tense and painful more easily. 5. Stress Reduction Stress and anxiety can contribute to muscle tension and exacerbate existing pain. Quality sleep is a natural stress buster. It helps you relax, reduces stress, and enables your muscles to unwind and recover more effectively. 6. Hormone Balance Sleep plays a pivotal role in maintaining hormonal balance. Disrupted sleep can lead to imbalances in hormones like cortisol, which can contribute to muscle tension and pain. Restorative sleep keeps these hormones in check, promoting muscle health. 7. Tissue and Nerve Repair Your body doesn't just repair muscle tissue during sleep; it also focuses on maintaining other essential tissues, including nerves. This repair process is crucial for reducing muscle tension and alleviating pain. 8. Circulation Improvement Quality sleep enhances blood circulation, ensuring that muscles receive the necessary oxygen and nutrients for healing. Improved circulation supports the recovery of muscle tissue and reduces tension. In conclusion, sleep is a powerhouse when it comes to muscle tension and pain recovery. It aids in muscle repair, inflammation control, pain threshold regulation, energy restoration, stress reduction, hormone balance, tissue and nerve repair, and circulation improvement. To promote muscle health and alleviate pain, prioritize good sleep hygiene, and ensure you get enough rest each night. Your body will thank you, and you'll wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the world. Sweet dreams! Rachael is one of our treating myotherapists who has a special interests in treating necks, backs, shoulders and heads! She is dedicated to creating a safe space where she can support you through your recovery. Book your first consultation with her today! |
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