Many people suffer needlessly with pain that can be alleviated.
If you or someone you know is suffering from an injury that is muscle related, you'll be excited to learn that Medical Massage Therapy can quickly and sometimes permanently relieve pain.

Medical Massage Therapy is a powerful tool to speed injury recovery and eradicate pain. There are many types of Medical Massage Therapy such as Neuromuscular Therapy, Myofascial Release, Trigger Point Therapy, Manual Lymph(atic) Drainage, and others. The purpose is to get you out of pain as quickly as possible at the lowest cost possible. Some people believe that Massage Therapy is expensive, but the average cost for Low Back Pain treatment by an MD is $23916.00, often without permanent relief. Massage Therapy is typically $55-$80/hour and can result in long term relief.

Today I would like to talk about Neuromuscular Therapy and Trigger Point Therapy. These two terms are used interchangeably, although Trigger Point is actually a subset of Neuromuscular Therapy. Trigger Points are "knots" in the muscle that refer pain to other areas such as neck pain that gives the patient a headache. These "knots" are accumulations of waste and tightness around the muscle fiber and Dr. Janet Travell mapped and explained the most common patterns for Trigger Point referred pain.

Trigger points can exist in two states, either active or latent. Active trigger points are those which cause discomfort. Latent trigger points wait silently in the muscle for a future stress to activate them. Aches and pains which began in the past become more frequent and severe in intensity as we age. It is common to attribute this discomfort to arthritis instead of our tight muscles which harbor trigger points.

To eliminate these points, direct constant pressure is applied to the Trigger Point until the nerve and muscle fiber relax. As the Trigger Point is released, the blood flow is improved and endorphins are released resulting in alleviation of pain and reduced recovery time.
The patient needs to participate in this therapy by keeping the therapist informed about discomfort level and intensity of pain so the therapist can accurately locate and release these "knots."
One treatment is not usually sufficient for chronic Trigger Points and the patient may need several sessions. It is also suggested to stretch the muscles treated to maintain progress and monitor intake of water and vitamins so Trigger Points do not reform.


http://spas.about.com/cs/massagetherapy/l/aa081300.htm
http://riverviewchiropractic.net/topics/riseincost.htm