Fibromyalgia trigger point treatment usually always consists of massage.
It's a great choice, and a regular 'go to' therapy, not just for trigger point treatment, but to also soothe and tone down other Fibromyalgia symptoms.
However, sometimes persistent and stubborn trigger points require more than just massage to help them release.
And sometimes, the most effect trigger point treatment involves needles.
Of course, there are not many people who enjoy the thought of needles.
And rightly so, when most of us have experienced painful vaccinations as children, followed by another round usually in our early teens.
And some of us even decide to endure the annual flu shot, which is well known for leaving an arm, aching, bruised, and enduring what's other wise known as 'dead arm'.
It's no surprise then, that when we associate all these negative connotations with needles, and then add the usual prerequisite of Fibro fear to the mix, that anyone suffering from Fibromyalgia, does not want to gravitate towards treatments that involves needle therapy.
Yet there is quite a lot of healing power that comes from needle therapy.
And not all of them are painful, or as painful as they seem.
Rather, they are highly effective in treating Fibromyalgia trigger points, and can be more effective than non-needle therapies.
This is because needles have the ability to strike trigger points head on.
And depending on the trigger point treatment, have the ability to immediately shut muscle knots down.
If you suffer from severe trigger points, then any of these three needle therapies below are worthwhile considerations for Fibromyalgia treatment.
NON-INJECTION NEEDLE THERAPIES Acupuncture The most common non-injection Fibromyalgia trigger point treatment is acupuncture.
This gentle healing method works with the meridians of the body to unblock stagnant energy, and promote the health and well being of organs.
It only uses a very thin needle that is usually inserted painlessly just under the surface of the skin.
And between 30 and 40 needles can be placed just about anywhere, from the head, neck, shoulders, back, arms etc or wherever pain has been expressed.
The effects of these mild needles can actually be quite powerful, as only after a few moments the recipient is usually transferred in to a lovely state of relaxation as knots unwind, and the body s given the opportunity to restore itself.
Why Might You Consider Acupuncture? If you like a Fibromyalgia treatment to be relaxing and calming on the body with no other, or little manual intervention from the acupuncturist.
Dry Needling Dry needling is actually much the same as acupuncture.
It uses the same needles that are inserted usually quite effortlessly, and painlessly just under the skin.
The difference though is that dry needling does not follow the laws of Chinese medicine.
Therefore, the needles are not inserted along the meridian lines of the body, but rather the therapist directly inserts the needle in to the muscle knot.
To encourage the muscle to let go, the therapist may wriggle the needle slightly, which can cause a slight twitching sensation, which is not usually painful.
The needles are left in the body until the knots have released, and once removed the therapist will usually gently massage the area to further allow the muscle to let go.
Just like acupuncture, the effects of dry needling usually include a deep sense of relaxation as the body unwinds from a state of stress, and settles into calm.
Why Might You Consider Dry Needling? This is a therapy that is usually done by an Osteopath or sometimes Physiotherapist, which only makes up part of their overall treatment.
They may include massage or other stretching techniques to further help the body release and relax.
INJECTION THERAPY Trigger Point Injections Trigger Point Injections do usually invoke thoughts of fear because unlike the more gentle methods of acupuncture or dry needling, this method does actually involve the needle being injected in to a muscle knot.
Yes trigger point injections are more painful, but there are advantages of having this more invasive needle treatment.
Firstly, usually an anesthetic is inserted in to the muscle knot.
This immediately acts as a numbing agent and makes the needle more bearable.
Secondly, the needle is injected slightly further in to the muscle, but the advantage of this is that once the needle hits the knot, it immediately breaks it down.
So while it is more invasive, it is usually a faster and more effective treatment.
Why Might You Consider Trigger Point Injections? If you suffer from severe Fibromyalgia trigger points that seem to have become resistant to other methods.
Although the injection itself is more painful, and does not provide an immediate relaxing effect on the body, usually more overall relief is felt a day or two after a treatment.
If you're not sure which trigger point treatment to have, always start with the most gentle, which for most people is acupuncture.
Once you become more accustomed to needle therapy and experience its benefits, you may just be brave enough to try an injection method.