What are tender points (TrPs) ?

What are tender points (TrPs)? Tender points (TrPs) are areas in the soft tissues, either the muscles, ligaments, or tendons, that are very sensitive to pain, especially when pressed.

In what specific areas of the body are the 18 signature fibromyalgia “tender points (TrPs)” found? The 18 tender points (9 on the left side, and 9 corresponding points on the right side) that are used to diagnose fibromyalgia are found in the following nine areas of the body, on both sides:

• The suboccipital muscle or back of the head where the neck muscles connect to the skull
  
  
• The low cervical muscle, which runs along the neck muscle in front of the fifth, sixth, and seventh cervical vertebrae
  
  
• The upper part of the trapezius muscle, a broad muscle extending from the neck to the shoulder
  
  
• The supraspinatus muscle, which is located at the top of the shoulder blade
  
  
• The second rib area, right below the collarbone.
  
  
• The lateral epicondyle, or tennis-elbow area, located at the top of the forearm
  
  
• The upper outer portion of the gluteus maximus, located in the buttocks
  
  
• The greater trochanter, in the part of the thigh bone which has a knobby protrusion right below the hip joint, covered by a bursa (fluid-filled sac)
  
  
• The medial knee, right above the inside of the knee
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Return to: Fibromyalgia Definitions or view one of the following: Who gets fibromyalgia syndrome (fms) ? Are frequent headaches associated with Fibromyalgia ? Why might fibromyalgia patients feel worse before feeling better with guaifenesin ? What factors may aggravate or worsen fibromyalgia symptoms or cause a flare-up ? How is guaifenesin used to treat fibromyalgia ? Can emotional trauma or physical or sexual abuse cause fibromyalgia ? Are fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome the same disease ? Will HMOs pay for medical treatment for fibromyalgia ? What is the autonomic (sympathetic) nervous system ? What fibromyalgia symptoms may develop as a result of irregular sleep patterns ? In post-traumatic fibromyalgia, how long after an injury does it take for symptoms to develop ?