• 10 Jun, 2026
• UnityPain
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Muscles That Commonly Develop Trigger Points

You Are Not Imagining That Pain

If you have ever felt a tight, tender knot in your neck or back that just will not go away, you are not alone. Millions of people live with this kind of pain every single day. These painful knots are often called trigger points. They can make simple tasks feel impossible — turning your head, lifting a bag, or even sitting at a desk. The good news is that trigger points are real, they are well understood, and there are ways to get help.

Understanding which muscles most often develop trigger points can be the first step toward feeling better. When you know where the trouble tends to start, you can work with a healthcare provider to find the right care plan for your body.

What Is a Trigger Point?

A trigger point is a small, sensitive area within a muscle. It forms when muscle fibers get stuck in a tight, contracted state and cannot fully relax. This creates a hard, tender spot that can hurt when pressed. Trigger points can also cause pain in other parts of the body away from the knot itself — this is called referred pain. For example, a trigger point in your shoulder muscle might send pain up into your head, causing a headache.

Trigger points can develop after an injury, from repetitive movements, poor posture, stress, or even long periods of inactivity. They are one of the most common causes of muscle pain, and they can affect people of all ages and activity levels.

The Upper Trapezius: A Very Common Troublemaker

The upper trapezius is a large muscle that runs from the back of your neck down to your shoulder blade. This muscle works constantly — every time you hold your head up, shrug your shoulders, or carry anything. Because it is always working, it is one of the most common places for trigger points to form.

Trigger points in the upper trapezius often cause a dull, aching pain at the top of the shoulder. They are also a well-known cause of tension headaches. People who sit at computers, drive long distances, or carry heavy bags are especially likely to develop trigger points here. Stress and anxiety can make things worse because many people unconsciously raise and tighten their shoulders when they are tense.

The Neck Muscles: When Pain Reaches Your Head

Several muscles in the neck are prone to trigger points. The sternocleidomastoid (SCM) is a long muscle that runs from behind your ear down to your collarbone. Trigger points here can cause headaches, jaw pain, eye pain, and even dizziness. The suboccipital muscles, which sit at the base of the skull, are another common spot. Trigger points in these small muscles are closely linked to tension headaches and pain at the back of the head.

Neck trigger points are very common in people who look down at phones for long periods, use computers without proper support, or sleep in awkward positions. The pain they cause can spread widely, which sometimes makes it hard to figure out where the real problem is coming from. A careful physical evaluation is important to identify the true source of your pain.

The Back and Hip Muscles: Pain That Limits Your Life

The quadratus lumborum (QL) is a deep muscle in your lower back. It connects your lower spine to your pelvis and hip. Trigger points in the QL are one of the most frequent causes of low back pain. This muscle is often overlooked, but it can cause a deep, aching pain that makes it hard to stand up straight, roll over in bed, or get up from a chair.

The gluteus medius and minimus muscles in the hips and buttocks also commonly develop trigger points. These can refer pain down the outer thigh and into the leg, and are sometimes mistaken for sciatica. The piriformis muscle, deep in the buttock, is another frequent problem area. Piriformis trigger points can irritate the nearby sciatic nerve, creating shooting or burning pain down the leg. Getting an accurate diagnosis is key, because the treatment for trigger point pain is different from the treatment for true nerve compression.

The Shoulder and Chest: Surprising Sources of Pain

The infraspinatus and supraspinatus muscles sit on the shoulder blade and help you lift and rotate your arm. Trigger points here are very common in people with shoulder pain. They can cause deep pain in the shoulder and upper arm, and can even refer pain down into the hand and fingers.

The pectoralis minor, a small muscle in the front of the chest, is another area where trigger points frequently hide. Trigger points in this muscle can cause chest tightness, front shoulder pain, and pain that travels down the inner arm. Because chest pain can have serious causes, it is always important to have chest pain evaluated by a medical provider before assuming it is a trigger point issue.

How Are Trigger Points Treated?

There are several ways to treat trigger points, depending on how severe they are. Stretching, massage, physical therapy, and heat can all help relax tight muscle tissue. For trigger points that do not respond to those methods, trigger point injections are a well-supported option. A small amount of medication — sometimes just a local anesthetic — is injected directly into the trigger point to release the tight fibers and reduce pain.

At Unity Pain Management in Modesto, CA, the care team offers trigger point injections along with a range of other pain management services. The clinic works with most insurance plans, making it easier to get the help you need. If trigger point pain has been interfering with your daily life, a professional evaluation can help you understand your options and take the next step toward relief.

A Note of Hope

Living with ongoing muscle pain is exhausting. It can wear you down physically and emotionally. But trigger points, once properly identified, are very treatable. You do not have to keep pushing through the pain and hoping it goes away on its own. Help is available, and reaching out to a pain management provider is a sign of strength — not weakness.

Be patient with yourself, and know that many people find real relief with the right care. You deserve to feel better, and the right team can help you get there.

References

• Simons, David G., Janet G. Travell, and Lois S. Simons. Travell and Simons’ Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 1999.
• Gerwin, Robert D. “Classification, Epidemiology, and Natural History of Myofascial Pain Syndrome.” Current Pain and Headache Reports. 2001.
• Dommerholt, Jan, and César Fernández-de-las-Peñas. “Trigger Point Dry Needling: An Evidence and Clinical-Based Approach.” Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier. 2013.
• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. “Low Back Pain Fact Sheet.” National Institutes of Health. 2023.
• Shah, Jay P., et al. “Myofascial Trigger Points Then and Now: A Historical and Scientific Perspective.” PM&R: The Journal of Injury, Function, and Rehabilitation. 2015.