Latissimus Trigger Points What Are They and Why Should I Care

25 Jan Latissimus Trigger Points What Are They and Why Should I Care

Pain is a common experience we are all familiar with. From a medical standpoint, one of the most interesting aspects of pain is how it is felt. Take pain related to latissimus trigger points. It can be felt in various regions of the upper body. Its intensity can also vary from one patient to the next.

Trigger points are discreet, hyper-irritable patches of tissue usually found within taught bands of skeletal muscle. They are sometimes associated with nodules patients can feel with their hands. Trigger points are found all over the body. Why should you care? Because they could be the source of your chronic pain.

Pain From the Latissimus Dorsi

Latissimus trigger points are associated with the latissimus dorsi, a rather large and flat muscle in the back and chest. The muscle offers two main zones where trigger points are often found:

• Upper – The upper trigger point region extends horizontally from the upper chest to the edge of the back. It can cause pain in the area of the scapula. This trigger point can also cause radiating pain in the shoulder, arm, and hand.
• Lower – The lower trigger point is associated with pain in the pelvis and lower back. Interestingly, it can cause radiating pain in the shoulder.

In addition to the direct and radiating pain, latissimus trigger points can manifest themselves as constant thoracic back pain and frozen shoulder. Patients sometimes describe the pain associated with these trigger points as dull and aching. Other times it is described as a sharp pain.

Why Trigger Points Develop

Trigger points are a fascinating medical phenomenon. They are not considered a disease, so to speak. They aren’t an injury either, at least in the same sense as a broken bone or a torn ligament. So the big question is why trigger points develop.

We don’t know of any single, dominant cause. We do know that trigger points are associated with:

• Muscle trauma and overuse
• Repetitive low-level muscle movement
• Poor posture
• Improper lifting
• Recreational sports

Athletes subject to trigger point pain may learn techniques to relieve the trigger points themselves. Certain types of stretching exercises can relieve the taut muscle tissue and thereby reduce the trigger point. Another common tactic is to place a ball between the patient’s back and the wall and then use movement to apply pressure to the trigger point.

Identifying a Latissimus Trigger Point

It is possible for patients to identify latissimus trigger points on their own. It takes some practice, but once a person learns where to place the fingers to start looking, finding a trigger point is not as hard as it sounds.

To look for a lower latissimus trigger point, you would place your fingers level with your navel and then run a line straight toward your back. As you do, you’re paying attention to spots that feel more sensitive or tender. Applying light pressure to a trigger point should increase the pain or cause it to radiate.

We Treat Trigger Point Pain

Pain associated with latissimus trigger points is no less annoying than other types of pain. It can make doing daily tasks uncomfortable. For some people, it can cause a significant loss in quality of life. Here at Lone Star Pain Medicine, our goal is to change the dynamic.

We treat latissimus trigger point pain by first identifying the trigger point and trying to understand its root causes. We look at the big picture rather than just the symptom of pain itself. If you think you might be experiencing a latissimus trigger point, perhaps Lone Star can help.