Myofascial trigger points, the poor relation of acupuncture
These muscular problems cause so much pain – small points of structural shortening in muscle as a consequence of strain – sudden or repetitive (see my main article on the physic website, physic.co.uk). The technique of needling them was developed by western medicine but apart from a few gps and pain consultants who practice these needling techniques, many people get told they’ve pulled a muscle & have to live with the pain. And in the world of classical acupuncture trigger point needling is often derided as too simplistic. I recently got one myself in shoulder girdle musculature (teres major) and was astonished at the level of debilitating ache. Now I have absolute sympathy with all the people I treat with similar problems.