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.
Common symptoms
See all →Tension headache
A bilateral or unilateral 'band-like' headache that often originates from trigger points in the neck and shoulder muscles.
Neck pain
Stiffness, limited rotation and aching at the base of the neck — most often non-specific and muscular in origin.
Shoulder pain
Deep anterior or lateral shoulder pain frequently originating from rotator cuff trigger points rather than the joint itself.
Jaw & TMJ pain
Pain in the jaw joint, ear or temple with chewing or clenching — often myofascial rather than purely articular.
Low back pain
Non-specific low back pain commonly involves trigger points in the quadratus lumborum and gluteus medius.
Hip pain
Lateral and posterior hip pain frequently of muscular origin — often labeled 'bursitis' without clear evidence.
Frequently involved muscles
See all →Upper trapezius
The upper fibers of the trapezius are one of the most common sources of tension headaches, neck stiffness and referred temple pain.
Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)
The SCM refers pain to the forehead, eye, cheek and ear — a frequent and overlooked source of facial pain, headache and dizziness.
Levator scapulae
Classic cause of the 'stiff neck' that won't rotate — sharp pain at the angle of the neck and shoulder.
Scalenes
Three deep neck muscles that refer pain into the chest, upper back, shoulder and down the arm — frequent mimics of cervical radiculopathy.
Infraspinatus
The most common rotator cuff source of deep anterior shoulder pain — pain felt at the front but coming from the back of the scapula.
Supraspinatus
Source of deep shoulder pain that intensifies with abduction — often misread as pure rotator cuff tendinopathy.
Explore by body region
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.