Trigger Points in the Traps

"DR. CHRIS MANGO: Hi. This is Dr. Chris Mango here in New York City. On behalf of Expert Village, we're going to be taking a look at trigger points today. Now let's take a look at the trapezius. Those are made up of three different muscles: upper, middle, lower. Now, this is another one that causes people fits because, just like at the computer, you're bent over or you're working and you're putting a lot of pressure on this area of your spine and where the muscles connect. So let's take a look at how to treat this area, and take a look at where the trigger points area and where they refer their pain. Upper trapezius runs from the bottom of the skull down to the tip of the shoulder. Middle, right across, and then the lower, comes from down low and up. The middle trapezius' trigger point is right in the nape of the neck and that's going to be the classic pain going up the side of the neck. The lower trapezius' trigger point is located a little bit lower and as expected, it's the area between the upper thoracic and lower cervical spine and out that'll cause pain in that area. Okay. Now let's a look at how we treat the muscle. The middle trapezius you can find just right in the nape of the neck. It's going to be this muscle belly here. The idea, press and hold, as we did before, have the patient breathe. When she no longer feels the pain, press and hold a little longer. Upper trapezius is going to be more towards the tip of the shoulder and where the neck meet here. And what you're going to want to do is thumb in, press and hold. Lower trapezius is going to follow the line of the neck down into the thoracic. Right on the inside here, press and hold. Let's move on to the next muscle in the group."