What Is It
A trigger point is a hyperirritable spot within a taut band of muscle fiber. When compressed, it produces a predictable pattern of referred pain — often felt far from where the knot actually lives. That's why your shoulder hurts when the real problem is in your neck, or why headaches trace back to tight muscles at the base of your skull.
Trigger Point Release uses sustained, targeted pressure — through hands, gua sha, or soft tissue tools — to deactivate these knots, interrupt the pain-spasm cycle, restore blood flow, and allow the muscle to return to its normal resting length.
How It Differs From Massage
Targeted. Clinical. Specific.
Conditions We Help
The muscles listed below are common contributors — but trigger points rarely work alone. Related or compensating muscle groups are often involved too, and your session will account for the full picture, not just the most obvious spot.
Trigger points in the upper trapezius, levator scapulae, scalenes, and SCM are among the most common — and most overlooked — drivers of chronic neck and shoulder tension. Related muscles may also be involved.
Many chronic headaches originate from trigger points in the suboccipital muscles at the base of the skull — but the SCM, temporalis, and upper traps are often contributing factors too.
Desk work, forward head posture, and screen time create predictable trigger point patterns across the rhomboids, mid-traps, thoracic paraspinals, and scalenes. Often more interconnected than it appears.
The piriformis, QL, and gluteal muscles commonly harbor trigger points that mimic or aggravate sciatic nerve pain. Hip flexors and lumbar paraspinals are frequently involved as well.
Runners, cyclists, and desk workers develop trigger points in the TFL and gluteus medius — contributing to hip pain, knee tracking issues, and IT band syndrome. The hip flexor chain often plays a role too.
The masseter and pterygoid muscles frequently develop trigger points that contribute to jaw pain, clicking, and clenching. The SCM and suboccipitals are often part of the same pattern.
Your Visit
Our clinical team reviews your symptoms and identifies the specific muscle groups and trigger point patterns most likely driving your pain. Every session is targeted — not generalized.
Using hands, gua sha, or soft tissue tools, sustained pressure is applied to the identified trigger point until the muscle releases. You may feel referred sensation during this — that's normal and confirms we've found the right spot. Sessions are approximately 20 minutes.
Trigger Point Release is available as a standalone session for active Polaris patients — no same-day adjustment required. Many patients use it between visits to hold their results, manage flare-ups, or when Dr. Warren isn't available. As long as you have an active care plan with the clinic, you can book directly with our clinical team.
Good to Know
No. Trigger Point Release is a chiropractic soft tissue procedure — clinically targeted, performed as part of your care plan, and supervised by Dr. Raleigh Warren, DC, CACCP, CFMP. It is not massage therapy and is not performed by a licensed massage therapist.
It can. Depending on what your body needs, our team may use hands, gua sha, or soft tissue tools during a session. These are chosen to access the trigger point most effectively — the goal is always release and relief, not a specific tool.
There's often a "good pain" quality — a recognizable ache or pressure that feels productive. You may feel referred sensation in other areas, which confirms we've found the right spot. It should never feel sharp or intolerable.
Sessions are approximately 20 minutes — dedicated, focused time with our clinical team to properly work through the patterns driving your pain. That's significantly more time than what's typically allocated within a standard office visit.
Sessions are performed by our Certified Chiropractic Assistant, who has specialized training in Trigger Point Release — under the direct supervision of Dr. Raleigh Warren, DC, CACCP, CFMP.
Trigger Point Release sessions are offered as a dedicated cash-pay service. This actually works in your favor — no pre-authorizations, no visit limits, no referrals required. You get the time and focus your body needs, without insurance dictating the pace of your care.
It depends on how chronic or acute your trigger points are. Some patients notice significant relief in 1–3 sessions; others incorporate it regularly as part of their maintenance care. Dr. Warren will give you a personalized recommendation.
New patients can call us to discuss whether Trigger Point Release is the right fit. Existing patients can book directly online with our clinical team using the link below.
Ready to Get Relief?
New patients call us to get started. Existing patients can book directly online with our clinical team.
