FP asks: “Is trigger point therapy considered new age?”
From what I have read, there is nothing New Age about Trigger Point Therapy (TPT).
For those who have never heard of it, a trigger point is described as a small patch of tightly contracted muscle tissue in spasm. Trigger points can be treated by massage or injections.
As this researcher explains, finding good information about trigger points is hard to come by.
“They are under-explained,” he writes. “They are far from a flaky diagnosis, but they’re not on solid foundations either, and some critics have dismissed the entire concept.”
For this reason, he refers to trigger points a “work in progress.”
Currently, TPT is used by physicians and specialists such as physiatrists (physicians who specialize in physical medicine and rehabilitation), family medicine, osteopathic physicians and orthopedics. It is also found among occupational therapists, massage therapists and even some acupuncturists. These last two areas of practice could combine TPT with other New Age “energy” therapies so patients should be vigilant about where they receive this treatment. It should be administered by health professionals and sports massage therapists who practice deep tissue massage rather than the various energy techniques such as Reiki.