The Role of Diet and Nutrition in Perpetuating Trigger Point Pain

What you eat and drink has a great deal to do with the perpetuation of trigger points. Improving your nutrition, drinking enough water, and avoiding certain foods, drinks and other substances can greatly decrease trigger point aggravation, and therefore also decrease both the intensity and frequency of your headaches.

Nutrition Deficiencies
It is easy and relatively inexpensive to improve your nutrient intake to see if it will decrease your headache symptoms. Doctors Travell and Simons(1983) found that almost half of their patients required treatment for vitamin deficiencies to obtain lasting relief from the pain and dysfunction of trigger points. They believed it was one of the most important perpetuating factors to address. The more deficient in nutrients you are, the more symptoms of all kinds. Even if a blood test shows that you’re at the low end of the normal for a given vitamin or mineral, it’s possible that you could need more of it, since your body pulls certain nutrients from your tissues before it allows a decrease in blood levels of those nutrients.

What to Take
Even if you have a fairly healthy diet, you may need supplements. In many places, agricultural soils have been depleted of nutrients by too frequent crop rotations and the use of chemical fertilizers, so food doesn’t always provide all of the nutrition we require. Most people need to take some kind ofmultivitamin and multimineral supplement to ensure proper nutrition, especially those who fall into one of the high-risk groups mentioned below.

Don’t megadose on supplements unless a doctor has determined your condition warrants it, since taking too much of certain vitamins, such as A, D, E, and folic acid, can actually be detrimental and could cause symptoms similar to deficiencies. You may want to work with a practitioner to develop a personalized supplement program. Some health care professionals can arrange for testing to determine any inadequacies. This is especially important because some people aren’t able to absorb certain nutrients and need to take them in megadoses or have them injected. For example, some people can’t absorb VitaminB12 and need to get intramuscular injections to ensure adequate levels.

The sections below will discuss the nutrients most likely to be involved in the perpetuation of trigger points. If you have other nutritional concerns or would like more information about any of the nutrients here, Prescription for Nutritional Healing by James F. Balach, MD, and Phyllis A Balch,CNC (200) is an excellent source. It offers information on vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants, and enzymes, and lists food sources for each. Sections on common disorders list supplements useful for treating each condition.

Self-help technique: Take supplements. 
Because some vitamins require the presence of other vitamins for optimal absorption or effectiveness, taking a good multivitamin and multimineral supplement helps ensure that the needed combinations are present. Be sure to check the label to make sure there are adequate amounts of minerals in a multivitamin; if not, you may need to take a multimineral too. In addition you might need to take additional supplements of some of the vitamins and minerals listed below. Doctors Travell and Simons (1983) found that the most important supplements for treating trigger points were the water soluble vitamins C, B1, B6, B12, and folic acid and the minerals calcium, magnesium iron, and potassium.

When to Take Supplements
Take your vitamins with food, since some nutrients need to bind with substances found in food in order to be absorbed. You may find that it is best to take your vitamins and herbs when you are not sick, with the exception of herbs specifically made for fighting illness. (See the section Acute or Chronic Infections” in chapter 7 for suggestions on how to head off illness.) Once all of your symptoms have abated, you can resume your regular program of supplementation

Impaired Digestive Function and Nutrient Malabsorption
If your digestive system isn’t functioning well, you probably don’t have enough enzymes or possibly hydrochloric acid to break down food properly. Symptoms may include any of the following: gas, belching, bloating, acid regurgitation, heartburn, diarrhea, constipation, pencil-thin stools, undigested food in your stools, and weight gain even though you’re not eating excessively. Taking digestive enzymes or hydrochloric acid for long periods isn’t a good solution for poor digestion, because they can take over some of the natural digestive functions of your body. Instead, you need to repair your body so it can do its job properly. A naturopath, acupuncturist, or herbalist can help you figure out whether you have digestive problems. These professionals can also give you dietary recommendations based on your unique constitution and any health problems, and can prescribe herbs to rebalance your systems.

Although fasting is often recommended as a way to give the digestive system a rest, it’s actually hard on the digestive system. If you want to do a cleanse, use herbs and phylum, but don’t stop eating. Another common misconception is that raw foods and whole grains are the healthiest things to eat. For most foods, it’s actually better to cook them (not overcook!) to start the chemical breakdown process so your digestive system doesn’t have to work as hard. If you have digestive difficulties, white rice and white bread are easier to digest than whole grain products. As your digestive function heals your practitioner can recommend the appropriate foods for your constitution.

If you have chronic diarrhea, food won’t remain in your intestines long enough for nutrients to be adequately absorbed. You will need to identify and eliminate the source of diarrhea. Acupuncture, herbs, and dietary changes can often successfully address this problem.

I’ve seen many people who have injured their digestive system by taking too many herbs, or herbs that are inappropriate for their health conditions and constitution. Most herbs should be taken only with the advice of a qualified practitioner. An herb that’s beneficial for a friend or a family member may not be appropriate for you.

High-Risk Groups
You may be at a higher risk for nutrient deficiency if you are elderly, pregnant or nursing, poor, depressed, or seriously ill, or if you abuse alcohol or other drugs. If you tend to diet by leaving out important food groups or have an eating disorder, you are also likely to have nutrient deficiencies. And in general, many of us eat diets that are neither balanced nor high in nutrition. If you eat a lot of processed foods, be aware that they don’t contain as much nutrition as foods that are freshly prepared.

About The Author
Valerie DeLaune, LAc. Is a Licensed Acupuncturist, Diplomate in Acupuncture, Master of Acupuncture, Certified Neuromuscular Massage Therapist and Certified Massage Therapist in Ancorage, Alaska. Valerie says, "My intention is to aid patients in their self-healing. I assist patients by teaching them self-help techniques that will empower them to make positive changes in their lives and their health." Visit her website at www.triggerpointrelief.com.