Clinical reference
Understand trigger points and referred pain.
Search by symptom or muscle. Clear, source-cited maps of where pain comes from and which muscles are involved.
Explore by body region
Head and Neck
Headaches, jaw pain, facial pain and neck pain that most often refer from cervical, masticatory and upper shoulder muscles.
Upper Back, Shoulder and Arm
Interscapular pain, shoulder pain and arm pain that commonly refer from rotator cuff, scapular stabilizers and the deltoid.
Torso
Chest, mid-back and thoracic pain often referring from pectorals, intercostals, serratus and thoracic paraspinals.
Lower Torso
Low back, abdominal and pelvic pain that commonly refer from quadratus lumborum, abdominal wall and pelvic floor muscles.
Hip, Thigh and Knee
Hip, groin, thigh and knee pain that commonly refer from gluteals, piriformis, quadriceps, hamstrings and adductors.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Calf, shin, ankle and foot pain that commonly refer from gastrocnemius, soleus, peroneals and intrinsic foot muscles.
Forearm and Hand
Elbow, forearm, wrist and hand pain that commonly refer from forearm flexors and extensors and the intrinsic hand muscles.
Common symptoms
See all →Back of Head Pain
A bilateral or unilateral 'band-like' headache that often originates from trigger points in the neck and shoulder muscles.
Back of Neck Pain
Stiffness, limited rotation and aching at the base of the neck — most often non-specific and muscular in origin.
Cheek Pain (like Sinusitis)
Cheek, forehead and behind-the-eye pressure without infectious sinusitis often reflects masseter and SCM referral.
Difficulty Swallowing
Feeling of a 'lump in the throat' can have a myofascial component from suprahyoids and longus colli.
Dizziness When Turning Head or Changing Field of View
Non-vestibular dizziness and ringing in the ears can be associated with trigger points in the SCM and masseter.
Double/Blurry/Jumpy Print Vision
Pain behind or around the eye without ophthalmic pathology often refers from SCM, suboccipitals, occipitalis and temporalis.
Frequently involved muscles
See all →Abdominal Obliques
Rotates the trunk to the same side; assists trunk flexion.
Abductor Digiti Minimi (Foot)
Small lateral-sole muscle whose trigger points cause pain along the outer edge of the foot and under the fifth metatarsal head.
Abductor Digiti Minimi (Hand)
Hypothenar muscle that abducts the little finger; trigger points give pain along the ulnar border of the hand and into the fifth finger.
Abductor Hallucis
Abducts and flexes the big toe; supports the medial arch.
Adductor Longus and Brevis
Adducts and flexes the hip.
Adductor Magnus
Adducts and extends the hip.
Built for clinicians and curious patients
Source-cited content
Each page links to the trigger-point and pain-science literature it draws from.
Non-diagnostic
Educational reference, not a replacement for clinical assessment or medical advice.
Designed for fast lookup
Mobile-first layout, instant search, and consistent muscle/symptom templates.
New to trigger points?
Start with the short guide on what they are, primary vs secondary, and how to read referred-pain maps.