Does anyone have advice for a muscle knot in the upper back? From my limited Internet research, these are also referred to as Myofascial Pain and/or trigger points. In my own case, it's about two inches away from the spine, near the top of the scapula. It feels like someone has stabbed me in the back with one of those bull-fighter picador gizmos. If i lean my head forward, this causes a neck muscle to tug on the trigger point, causing more pain.
It doesn't hurt as much when I lie down flat; I can also swim and weight lift without causing too much discomfort. But just sitting at my desk causes this chronic ouch sensation.
Earlier last season, I hurt my opposite shoulder and was swimming one armed for a while, which may have been the original cause of the discomfort. But now that it seems well-established, is there anything I can do to get it to go away? Note: I've had it, off and on, for weeks if not months now, but it's been particularly noticeable over the past week. I went to Y masters nationals, and it killed me on the 7 hour car drives over and back--but mysteriously disappeared during the four days of competition.
Any advice would be truly appreciated.
Jim,
I had that same problem in my neck and jaw (thought I needed a root canal but no). I worked with a massage therapist who knew about Myofascial Pain and she was able to help me.
I then purchased the Trigger Point Therapy Workbook and I have put that to use over this past year with some lower back problems. One thing they recommend is to take a tennis ball and lie on it, working it into the muscle to release the trigger point.
In my case a slipped disk really pulled all of my lower back muscles to such an extent that I lay on two tennis balls to loosen the muscles.
I hope you get to feeling better.
:cool:
Jim,
I had that same problem in my neck and jaw (thought I needed a root canal but no). I worked with a massage therapist who knew about Myofascial Pain and she was able to help me.
I then purchased the Trigger Point Therapy Workbook and I have put that to use over this past year with some lower back problems. One thing they recommend is to take a tennis ball and lie on it, working it into the muscle to release the trigger point.
In my case a slipped disk really pulled all of my lower back muscles to such an extent that I lay on two tennis balls to loosen the muscles.
I hope you get to feeling better.
:cool:
