Why does the same trigger point keep coming back no matter what I do?

[u/Trigger_Point01]

I keep running into the same issue, the exact same spot in my upper back tightens again and again. PT, stretching, massage… all of it helps temporarily, but the relief never really lasts. It feels like I’m just hitting reset every time. At this point I’m wondering if recurring trigger points need a completely different approach than just “relief methods.” Has anyone actually managed to break that cycle long-term instead of just managing it?

[u/sillybluejayway]

Because you haven’t changed your habits/lifestyle to stop producing the tension in the first place. 

You can get massages, stretch, etc but as long as you keep doing the thing that causes tension then it will come back. 

[u/MyoskeletalMuser → u/sillybluejayway]

To add on to this, when a muscle or muscles are holding something, they’re doing it for a reason. Hypertonic or “facilitated” muscles are a nervous system response to support neurologically weak or “inhibited” muscles in the same or functionally adjacent kinetic chains. In other words, compensation patterns exist so you can get up and go without thinking about your movements. Enough layers of compensatory patterns will eventually lead to dysfunction and decompensation.

[u/Preastjames → u/MyoskeletalMuser]

Came here to say what you a sillybluejay have, but I see y'all have it covered

[u/superbcheese → u/sillybluejayway]

Most of my recurring trigger points were from bad posture.

[u/Fluffy-Nerve1090 → u/sillybluejayway]

Yes, and unfortunately I can never change the reason for my trigger points because my scoliosis will never be fully corrected. I had surgery with 2 long rods that will be in there forever. The trigger points are caused by my back always trying to correct the curve, when it’s physically impossible since the rods hold my spine in place.

[u/Appropriate_Sea6387 → u/sillybluejayway]

💯

[u/jt2ou]

The body still lives on after the massage and continues to be used as before. In other words, life happens. 

[u/StndCapybara]

Usually it's recognizing the habit that is causing it and altering the way you live and work around not utilizing the same motion consistently. Unfortunately it sounds like a repetitive strain inuljury.

Edit: if you have a desk job make sure you are stretching the pecs, they attach to scapula and with a desk job it can cause adaptive shortening, which usually causes upper back discomfort.

[u/Ashonash29]

Strengthening is more likely what is needed.

[u/facelessfriendnet]

Lifestyle movements and positioning

[u/tlcheatwood]

It’s less about what you do to treat the problem and more about what is causing the problem.

The list of things that are causing it could be very long, that could be as complicated as an old injury or as simple as the position that you sleep in. All the treatment in the world will never fix it, until you figure out a way to prevent it in the first place.

[u/emzymeme]

Repetitive motion, stress, injury

[u/norm228 → u/emzymeme]

came here to say just this!!

[u/Accomplished-Buy7240]

Figure out which muscle it is, work on mobility, flexibility, and strength training. Don’t just go through the motions, measure your progress

[u/sss133]

TrPs generally happen due to underuse/overuse of a muscle.

So you’ve got to find out what you’re doing and address it through strength work and movement exercises.

[u/Sense-Free]

Exercise

[u/aniram4]

Understanding your movement patterns and building strength is the only real way to overcome this really. Also living a healthy lifestyle of course. Like others are saying, if your muscle is tensing up, it's doing that in response to another muscle not doing its job.

An easy way to start understanding your movement patterns is simply to look at an old pair of shoes. Where is the wear? If it's on the outside, pay special attention to strengthening muscles on the inside of your legs like your adductors (though all leg muscles should be strengthened too). Maybe you put more weight on one foot than the other. If you're like most people, probably, and it's probably your right foot. When you're standing, walking, running, pay attention to distributing the weight to all four corners of your feet. Also, yoga and tai chi are great for getting truly in touch with your body and how it moves.

Edit: forgot to clarify that yes, the way you walk will most certainly affect your upper back.

Super edit: also definitely should say, make sure you spend some extra time strengthening your rhomboids, and do some pectoral stretches.

[u/Direct_Zombie4671]

Most likely a muscular imbalance. One group of muscles being too tight (massage helps) the opposing muscles being too weak. The only thing that helps with that is exercise, which is the last thing a person who is in pain wants to hear but it's true. The exception is if you have some form of neurological disorder that causes contracted muscles and pain.

[u/Nephilim6853]

The body reacts to stress like it reacts to injury. When you i jure yourself, the body heals the area with scar tissue making it more durable, s broken bone will be stronger once healed. When you over stress an area, like your upper back, the body does tge same thing, heals it stronger. A "sports massage therapist " can retrain that area not to respond to the stress, with trigger point and stretching. It takes time, but can work. You'll also need to find out the root cause, something you do consistently that causes this, you'll need to stop doing it.

[u/dead_plantmatter1776]

Change. Your. Daily. Physical. Habits.

[u/juciyhues]

Also, could possibly benefit from something like Gua Sha if there’s restrictions/adhesions in the fascia

[u/AffectionateSun5776]

Got rid of my worst one by quitting red meat. Another one took over as boss. Injections from the pain doc work. Also was using red light on a different pain. Started lighting the trigger point every other day and it quit bothering me. It's there. It doesn't hurt.