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Referred Trigger Point Pain - Glossary Term Illustration

Referred Trigger Point Pain

Referred (Trigger Point) Pain occurs when pain is generated by a trigger point, but is felt in a pattern that includes an area distal to that point. This type of pain is usually not congruent with the distribution of a peripheral nerve or dermatomal segment, and can often be reproduced by stimulation of the original trigger point. For example, trigger points associated with cervical spine muscles may refer to pain to the head's front, top, or side, contributing to tension-type and cervicogenic headaches.

Referred Trigger Point Pain

Referred (Trigger Point) Pain: Pain that is generated by a trigger point, but is felt in a pattern that includes an area distal to that point. The pattern may be reproduced by stimulation of the original trigger point. Note, the distribution of referred trigger-point pain rarely completely congruent with the distribution of a peripheral nerve or dermatomal segment (1).

  • Example, many of the trigger points associated with muscles of the cervical spine may refer pain to the front, top or side of the head, and are thought to be one of the contributing factors to "tension type" and "cervicogenic" headaches.
  1. David G. Simons, Janet Travell, Lois S. Simons, Travell & Simmons’ Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction, The Trigger Point Manual, Volume 1. Upper Half of Body: Second Edition,© 1999 Williams and Wilkens

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