What Is That?! Understanding Different Types of Muscular Pain and How to Tell the Difference
“Why Does That Spot Hurt So Much?”
You’re sitting at your desk, rubbing the back of your neck. There’s a tender, aching spot that feels deep in the muscle—pressing on it hurts, but in a strangely satisfying way.
Later, you stretch your leg, and there’s a pulling, tight sensation in your hamstring. Not exactly pain, but something feels restricted.
Then you reach down to massage your lower back, and there it is—a sharp, localized point of pain that shoots down your hip.
Why do different areas feel different when you press on them? What’s happening in your muscles that creates these sensations?
At Serenity Healing Therapies we help clients understand that not all pain is the same, and modify treatment accordingly. Your body is constantly sending signals, and learning to recognize them can help you get relief.
Let’s break down the most common pain sensations, what they mean, and how massage can help.
1. “It’s Sore, Tender, and Feels Like a Deep Bruise When I Press on It” (Post-Workout or Overuse Soreness)
What’s Happening?
This is likely Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)—a natural response to muscle exertion. When you work a muscle harder than usual, microscopic tears occur in the fibers. Your body responds with inflammation, repair, and mild swelling, creating that deep, aching tenderness.
Common Causes:
• Exercising after a long break
• Increasing intensity in workouts
• Repetitive strain from work or daily activities
How Massage Helps:
• Speeds up circulation to flush out metabolic waste
• Reduces swelling and stiffness in affected muscles
• Encourages relaxation without overstretching sore tissue
2. “There’s a Hard, Tight Spot, but It Doesn’t Refer Pain Elsewhere” (Regular Muscle Knots, Not Trigger Points)
What’s Happening?
A regular muscle knot is an overworked, contracted section of muscle that has become stiff due to stress, repetitive movement, or lack of circulation. Unlike trigger points, they do not refer pain elsewhere.
What You Feel When You Press on It:
• A firm lump or tight band in the muscle
• Localized discomfort—you feel it right where you press
• A dull ache that improves when the area is massaged
Example:
You’ve been sitting with poor posture all day. Later, you rub your upper back near your shoulder blade and find a firm, sore lump. It hurts when pressed, but the pain stays in that spot—it doesn’t radiate anywhere else.
How Massage Helps:
• Breaks up adhesions, softening the muscle fibers
• Encourages blood flow, restoring normal tissue function
• Relieves tension, preventing deeper imbalances
3. “There’s a Hard Spot, and When I Press It, the Pain Spreads” (Trigger Points aka Referred Pain Knots)
What’s Happening?
Trigger points are hyper-contracted muscle fibers that compress small nerves and restrict blood flow. Because of this, pain spreads beyond the original site in a predictable referral pattern.
Where They Usually Occur:
• In the belly (center) of muscles, rather than near joints
• Common in postural muscles, like the upper traps, levator scapulae, and lower back
What You Feel When You Press on It:
• A small, tight bundle of muscle fibers (sometimes ropey, sometimes more like a “dip” in the muscle)
• Pain that spreads beyond the area when pressed
• A dull ache or deep, gnawing pain that won’t go away
Example:
You reach up to massage your neck after a stressful day and find a tender spot in your trapezius muscle. The moment you apply pressure, you feel a dull, aching pain spreading up into your head—like the start of a tension headache. That’s a trigger point.
How Massage Helps:
• Applies deep, targeted pressure to release the tight muscle fibers
• Encourages oxygen-rich blood flow to clear out metabolic waste
• Restores normal function, reducing pain and improving movement
4. “It’s a Sharp, Shooting Pain That Travels” (Nerve Compression or Pinched Nerves)
What’s Happening?
Sharp, radiating pain is usually a sign that a nerve is being compressed—often between two structures like bones, tight muscles, or inflamed tissue.
How It’s Different from Trigger Points:
• Pinched nerves cause tingling, numbness, or electric-like pain
• They originate from a compressed nerve root near the spine or a tight muscle near a major nerve pathway
• Pain is sharp, while trigger points tend to be dull and deep
Where They Usually Occur:
• Near joints or between bones, like the lower back (sciatica) or neck (cervical nerve impingement)
• Where nerves run under or between muscles, like the piriformis (piriformis syndrome) or carpal tunnel (wrist pain).
• Note, piriformis syndrome has a similar sensation to sciatica as the sciatic nerve is compressed against the tight piriformis muscle in the hip).
What You Feel When You Press on It:
• Sharp, electric-like jolt or burning sensation
• Tingling or numbness that spreads outward
• A worsening of symptoms when sitting or staying in one position too long
Example:
You sit for hours at a time, and over time, your hip flexors and glutes get tight and compressed. Suddenly, when you bend over or sit for long periods, you feel a sharp pain shoot from your lower back down your leg. That’s likely sciatica—where a tight piriformis muscle presses on the sciatic nerve.
How Massage Helps:
• Releases muscle tension, taking pressure off nerves
• Reduces inflammation, easing nerve sensitivity
• Encourages movement, preventing nerve entrapment
5. “It Feels Tight, Like Something Is Pulling Against Me” (Fascia Restrictions and Muscle Imbalances)
What’s Happening?
Fascia is the connective tissue that surrounds your muscles, keeping everything supported. When fascia becomes tight, it restricts movement and creates a pulling sensation.
What You Feel When You Press on It:
• A broad, stiff tightness rather than a pinpoint pain
• A pulling sensation when you stretch, like the tissue won’t give
How Massage Helps:
• Breaks up fascial restrictions, restoring movement
• Encourages hydration, keeping tissue pliable
• Relieves built-up stiffness, reducing compensations
6. “My Joint Hurts, But the Muscle Feels Fine” (Joint Pain vs. Muscle Pain)
What’s Happening?
If your pain feels deeper and more inside the joint, rather than in the muscle, it may be arthritis, inflammation, or mechanical joint stress.
What You Feel When You Press on It:
• A deep, internal ache rather than muscle soreness
• Sharp pain with movement, especially twisting or bending
How Massage Helps:
• Relieves surrounding muscle tension, reducing joint stress
• Improves mobility, keeping the area functional
What’s Your Body Telling You?
Pain is a message from your body—are you listening?
Book a session at Serenity Healing Therapies today and let’s decode your pain!
