

Dry needling is a popular (but dubious) method of stabbing trigger points into submission with acupuncture needles. Trigger point therapy is mostly rubbing and pressing on trigger points, which can feel amazingly relieving. There are many possible causes of unexplained aches and pains, but trigger points are an interesting piece of the puzzle for many people, and offer some potential for relief. They may be a major factor in back and neck pain, as a cause, a complication, or a bit of both. Regardless, these sore spots are as common as pimples, often alarmingly fierce, and they seem to grow like weeds around injuries.

TrPs are usually described as micro-cramps, but the science is half-baked and their nature is controversial. Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a chronic pain disorder of too many trigger points. Trigger points (TrPs) or muscle “knots” are sore spots in soft tissue that cause deep aching.
