Healing through Trigger Point Therapy: A Guide to Fibromyalgia, Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction

by Devin J. Starlanyl, John Sharkey, Amanda Williams (Illustrator)

Overview

For those living with fibromyalgia (FM), chronic myofascial pain (CMP), or persistent, unexplained symptoms, Healing Through Trigger Point Therapy offers a clear, evidence-informed path toward real healing and symptom relief.

Written for patients, bodyworkers, manual therapists, and healthcare providers, this book explores the overlooked role of trigger points (TrPs) in chronic pain and provides practical tools for identifying, managing, and treating them.

Supplemented with full-color images for easy reference, this book offers:

• A foundational understanding of trigger points and a comprehensive list of diverse symptoms that can be used to identify TrP-related pain.
• A detailed visual guide to trigger points throughout the body, with explanations of their pain referral patterns and common misdiagnoses.
• Insight into what can exacerbate trigger points—the mechanical, psychological, metabolic, and environmental facors that prolong chronic pain cycles.
• Clinical strategies for collaborative care, including history-taking, physical exams, and treatment approaches.
• Comprehensive anatomy overviews of muscle groups in the face, head, neck, trunk, shoulder, arms, hands, hips, thighs, legs, and feet.

Grounded in clinical observation and practical experience, this book invites both practitioners and lay readers to deepen their understanding of pain patterns, symptom complexity, and the importance of collaborative care. The material is designed to support more effective communication, treatment planning, and long-term management of conditions that are too often dismissed or misunderstood.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781583946091
Publisher:	North Atlantic Books
Publication date:	08/27/2013
Pages:	416
Product dimensions:	8.44(w) x 10.68(h) x 0.54(d)

About the Author

DEVIN J. STARLANYL has published over 100 articles on fibromyalgia and myofascial pain in national and international medical journals and is the coauthor of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain and author of The Fibromyalgia Advocate. JOHN SHARKEY, MSc, is a physiologist, anatomist, neuromuscular therapist, and the author of The Concise Book of Neuromuscular Therapy. The author lives in West Chesterfield, NH/Dublin, Ireland.

Editorial Reviews

The hallmark of this book is the ‘Gallery’ which contains detailed discussions of selected muscles  throughout the body. The reader will find detailed medical information about the function of each muscle complete with medical illustrations of the highest quality. … [This book] not only serves as a textbook and valuable reference, but also an eye-opener for those who have struggled with chronic pain and other symptoms that have until now eluded diagnosis and effective treatment!”
—Fibromyalgia Frontiers

“The book is written in a way that is approachable to patients and those who do not have a background in health care. Detailed illustrations help to facili­tate a deeper understanding of complex patterns of pain referral and also dem­onstrate location of muscles. …. This text is a great resource for pa­tients with trigger points, fibromyalgia, and chronic myofascial pain, and can be a great tool for making the patient an active participant in their care. In addi­tion to being a resource for patients, this book would be a great addition to any student’s or clinician’s library and would go a long way toward facilitating more successful outcomes with patients in this population.”
—Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy

From the Publisher