The trigger point therapy workbook

What Hacker News says

1. craydandySep 2024
   I had pinched ulnaris nerve in both elbows a few years ago. The symptoms were pretty much the same as you describe. It took two operations and more than a year to recover. The symptoms started to creep back this year, probably because I started to hit the keyboard more. Luckily I found a book about trigger points [1] and releasing the triceps trigger points, especially #3 removes the symptoms. The book is godsend; I've found help from it to so many other issues too.

   [1] https://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Point-Therapy-Workbook-Self-T...

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2. lutormDec 2023
   Yes, there are reports of trigger points in the jaw muscles being at least partially responsible for tinnitus (see e.g. https://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Point-Therapy-Workbook-Self-T... which, if you have any muscle related pains, will likely blow your mind.) I have exactly the same experience as you. I also get jaw induced headaches from biting my nails etc and my impression is that it is associated with an increase in my tinnitus.

   Probably a related mechanism, but I can also sometimes hear my eye muscles working. It only happens if I'm sick or otherwise feeling under the weather, but moving my eyes rapidly is then associated with a swoosh-like auditory impression. I haven't heard anyone else experiencing this so far.

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3. vunderbaNov 2023
   After years of working as a software developer combined with a daily regimen of piano practice I developed fairly bad tendinitis/RSI issues about ten years ago.

   I tried your standard r.i.c.e, taubmann technique, ultrasound, TENS units, easing up on my activities, EVERYTHING. The only thing that really helped me at the end was a book called the trigger point therapy workbook. TPT basically emphasizes using a form of deep tissue massage to attempt to break up residual scar tissue and increase blood flow.

   I've been using it as a preventative form of medicine, and I have been RSI free for years now.

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4. qPM9l3XJrFDec 2021
   This book has been a godsend for my chronic pain problems, including, somewhat surprisingly, neurological stuff: https://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Point-Therapy-Workbook-Self-T... (I suggest looking up "whiplash" in the index.) As weird as it sounds, when I massage the muscles around my head and neck, I get noticeable cognitive changes in the minutes and days that follow.
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5. robscallsignMar 2021
   I've got nearly identical symptoms, and while it does come back now and then, I feel like I'm finally on top of it. I spent about a year trying various things, including exercise ( which actually only seemed to aggravate the symptoms rather than helping), various targeted stretches, physiotherapy, rest, ice, compression, wrist support braces, various ergonomic keyboards

   What ultimately worked for me was a combination of massage therapy and self-massage.

   I found that I had a large number of muscle knots/myofascial trigger points in my hands, forearms, tricep/biceps, shoulder, and back. Working with the massage therapist we slowly worked them out. In particular I found targeting the teres minor, which is a small muscle below the shoulder almost in the armpit, to be one of the breakthrough moments. Normally I have no back or shoulder pain, but when you find these knots and you start poking at them it can be incredibly painful.

   I now have a home self-massage routine that I do regularly, especially if the tingling or any pain comes back, and it really helps. I use a combination of tools, including a lacrosse ball which I use against a wall on my forearms, back, and shoulders, and teres minor area, a Theracane massage stick, and a forearm massage tool from Armaid.com. The combination of the Armaid and Lacrosse ball really helped work the knots out of my forearms, and I highly recommend both of them.

   A book I found useful was "The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook" by Claire Davies. I coupled this with a muscle anatomy book to help name/identify muscles to search in the Trigger Point book. The location of trigger points and symptoms as described in the Trigger Point book were uncannily accurate, it was literally spot on.

   There are some good youtube videos, blogs, and websites of course. A few I found particularly helpful were the "Doug and Brad physiotherapy channel" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzVO9DU-bog), and the Painotopia youtube channel and corresponding website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCwTpwn8lWZQ_lXfUPL1JZg/fea... https://www.muscle-joint-pain.com/ the Painotopia website is full of info, but I did find that I had to search around to find a bit.

   Anyway, that's what worked and is working for me. I believe that stress, posture, and computer use, all contributed to developing these muscle knots, many of them near the ulnar nerve.

   Everyone's pain, symptoms, and causes are different. Good luck! If you have any questions or want more info send a comment and you can drop me an email: my HN username @ gmail.com

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6. dec0dedab0deJan 2021
   One thing that really helped me with back, and neck pain, and then later with all kinds of pain, is the trigger point therapy workbook. I forget which edition I have but there are one or two newer ones since then. I used to hurt myself and be useless for a week or two, since I got the book it's been a day or two. It's basically a guide for effective self massage.

   Funny side note, I learned about it from a character in a fictional book called sex drugs and blueberries, which I randomly picked up from the local section of a book store while visiting Maine about 10 years ago.

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