Acupressure Vs Trigger Point Therapy

What’s The Difference Between Acupressure and Trigger Point Therapy?

Imagine having a sharp pain in your back and asking your two friends for assistance. The first friend suggests rolling out your muscles and working out the trigger point with a lacrosse ball, while the second insists on identifying and massaging the acupressure points. What will you do? Well, If you haven’t passed out yet from back pain, you might want to read this post to learn the difference between trigger points and acupressure points.

The primary difference between trigger points and acupressure is also the factor that distinguishes one estate from another: location, location, location. The acupressure points are located on the meridian (a path along the body), and acupressurists (is that a word?) use pressure from their fingers and elbow to stimulate them whereas, the trigger points are located on the layers of skin.

Difference between Acupressure points and Trigger points

Acupressure points are naturally occurring points in the body that, when stimulated, release endorphins (the body’s natural painkillers) and help the body heal. During a Seated Acupressure Massage treatment, pressure is applied to acupressure points to relieve muscular tension and release endorphins. Trigger points, on the other hand, are highly irritated points in the skin’s layers that are painful to touch and can result in referred soreness and pain.

Trigger points, also known as ‘sore spots’, are located in the soft tissue on the layers of skin. The pain felt in trigger point is caused by a small group of contracted muscles. Since the trigger point pain is caused by a problem elsewhere in the body, it is also known as referred pain which is usually relieved by massaging the point.

Trigger points may or may not follow the same paths as acupressure points on the body or meridians. The therapy involves massaging and pressing on trigger points till the cramped muscle relaxes and provides relief at the sore point. To put it simply, acupressure points are good, whereas trigger points are bad because they cause pain!

Traditional Chinese Medicine believes 12 energy meridians connect specific organs and form a system energy flow that runs throughout your body. Blocking of any such channel or meridian cause pain and impacts the body adversely. Thus by apply pressure on the acupoints, we clear the blockage and restore the channel of energy flow.

Acupressure and Trigger Point Therapy Work Together

Acupressure helps to balance vital body energy while trigger point therapy helps to relieve muscle tension. Both the practices complement one another to improve overall health. Regular massage therapy and trigger point therapy to relieve muscle strain and acupressure to maintain energy balance are all part of a good holistic health plan.