Sample Chapters:
Contents
Foreword
Introduction
What Are Trigger Points?
Chapter 3: Headaches

Companion Materials:
Headache Diary
Headache Types
Perpetuating Factors

Press and Media

Reviews (Amazon.com)

Plus visit the new health information and product website:

HealthierSolutionsForYou.com

If you struggle frequently with headache pain, this book offers a welcome solution. Trigger point therapy is an effective self-care approach you can use to get relief from headache and migraine pain.

Easy, Effective Relief for Headaches and Migraines

“I have such a bad headache!” For many of us, this is an oft repeated cry of anguish. Statistics about headaches and migraines are downright astonishing:  One in six people have chronic headache pain, and one in ten suffer from migraines, a specific type of headache.  You are not alone. Headaches and migraines result in more than 10 million doctor visits each year. If you struggle frequently with headache pain, this book offers a welcome solution.  Trigger point therapy is an effective self-care approach you can use to get relief from headache pain.

Trigger points form in a portion of the muscle cell where blood flow is reduced and metabolic wastes are not being exchanged for oxygen and nutrients. When enough trigger points are located together, they can form palpable knots in the tissue. Trigger points can cause pain, either in the area of the trigger point, or by referral to other areas of the body.  Trigger points can be treated by applying pressure to affected areas, often providing instant relief. This book explains trigger point physiology and then offers a complete program for self-care that includes detailed illustrations of all pressure and stretching techniques.  In addition, it provides an in-depth look at the factors that cause and perpetuate trigger points, such as body mechanics, injuries, diet and nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, and emotional factors, and provides solutions to address each perpetuating factor.

For a fraction of the price of one visit to your health care provider, learn how to help yourself heal faster and return to work and your favorite activities more quickly!

Trigger Point Therapy for Headaches and Migraines" is a Self-Help Workbook containing:

• Black and white photos with overlays of common trigger point referral patterns for headaches, migraines, and TMJ pain (example at right)
• A list of common symptoms for each muscle's trigger points
• Causes of trigger points for each muscle
• Images guiding trigger point therapy self-help techniques and stretches
• Helpful hints for treating trigger points
• Cross-referencing to associated muscles that may contain trigger points
• Other possible Western medical diagnoses
• Foreword by Dr. Steven Lavitan, D.C., L.Ac
• This book is a great resource for any type of practitioner treating headache and TMJ syndromes.

Testimonials:

            Reading this book helped me understand the causes of my chronic headaches and gave me simple and practical solutions to ease the discomfort I had been experiencing for years. The diagrams of musculature were especially helpful in identifying the sources of my pain. Self treatments were clearly described through both text and photographs making it easy to care for myself independently. Trigger point therapy makes such perfect sense; my only regret is that I had not read this book sooner -  Maya A.

             I was introduced a few months ago by a friend, to Claire Davies'  "Frozen Shoulder Workbook" to try to find some relief for my wife who's right shoulder was locked up pretty bad, after reading that book I realized then what I was doing back 20 some years ago. And again it has been helping a lot so far, she hasn't got full mobility back yet but it has greatly improved. This same friend suggested I look into the book "Trigger Point Therapy for Headaches and Migraines" to see if I could maybe get as much relief from my migraines as he has so far.
              So far in just over a week I'm already noticing a lessening of the severity of the tension headaches between my migraines. I have lived with both 24/7 for the past 16 years. If the improvement continues at this rate I look forward to stopping the morphine that has been the only thing keeping me sane these years in a short time as I won't need it. I don't know if I'll ever reach it, but that's my goal.  - Jim P.

             This book says it all and shows you how to take care of yourself. If you are looking for something the medical community has been unable to provide for you (as in relief without pharmaceuticals) this is it. Valerie DeLaune knows how to get this valuable information on paper and into your head, very accessible to anyone who can read. I highly recommend it.  - Cindy N. Certified Rolfer

             I have been utilizing myofascial trigger point therapy in my practice for many years.  I have found that a success treatment plan depends greatly on the client’s ability to continue with self-treatment away from the clinic.  Consequently, self-treatment trigger point therapy books are an important adjunct to my patient’s plan of care.  I am especially impressed with the self-help books and reference materials by Valerie DeLaune, LAc.  Her work is well organized and comprehensive, including stretches, which makes for a single point of reference for your patients’ home program.  I would highly recommend utilizing her self-help trigger point therapy books.  -Wendy Larson, MSPT, Centre Point Physical Therapy, owner

             I stumbled across this book at a bookstore and was astonished to see diagrams that directly connected the chronic "knots" in my neck and shoulder region to the most frequent locations of my migraine pain. I have the kind of muscle tissue knots that prompted one massage therapist to ask, "So when was the car accident?" (There wasn't any.) Most massage therapists have barely even begun to loosen the knots by the time a one-hour session is up.
            I didn't know what trigger point therapy was but had heard about using a tennis ball to help with back problems - it had seemed a little silly. Now I am using this therapy (nearly) every day. It's too early to tell whether it is helping the migraines, but it feels incredible, immediately relieving pain. I use the therapy right before I go to bed and when I wake up in the morning those little healing muscles still feel all gooey and relaxed. It’s soooooo easy to do at home - don't wait years and years to take care of yourself like I did… the substance of the book is wonderful. If you've got knots, get the book!  - Brenna

             This book helped me so much. I have TMJ with pain in my jaw and Trapezius' and the information given in the book helped me lots. I have referred this book to all of my friends.  - M.L. Knight

             As with all the reviews already written I agree that this is an excellent resource book to have. It explains everything there is to know about the trigger points. It also gives credit where credit is due to Dr. Travell, the first real trigger point pioneer and carries her studies even further into present day breakthroughs. It has detailed diagrams as well as easily understood techniques to use on clients or on yourself. This book also contains a very in depth chapter on nutrients and vitamins that should be taken for muscle health. Not to mention the insistence of water... (FINALLY) for muscle health and growth. I am a massage therapist specializing in medical massage, deep tissue therapy with neuromuscular and myofascial release and of course trigger point therapy and encounter an extraordinary amount of clients with head pain. This book is my new "go to book" for double checking my techniques. I also keep many of them on hand to give to clients for home self treatment. This book is easy to read, learn from and use. Truly a must have book for not only massage therapists, but anyone in the health care field that sees people for head pain.   -  Jennifer

             I suffer from frozen shoulder and wanted to find an alternative to traditional treatment. A friend recommended this book, and it has helped me a lot. I would recommend it to anyone with shoulder tightness and pain.   - D. Virginia

             I have been using Valerie's trigger point self-therapy techniques for several years on myself and my clients with amazing and tremendous results. I will definitely recommend this long-awaited book for everyone who suffers from headaches and migraines.   - Ray Ang, Massage Therapist

 This book has excellent pictures of all the trigger point locations and easy to understand directions.  - A. Pinard

             I've struggled with migraines for 10 years and this book not only gave me an understandable reason why and where the pain was originating (not in my head, where I assumed it started), but it also details how to manipulate those "trigger points" for lasting pain relief. Thank you, Valerie!!!   - S. Swan

             Anyone who suffers from headaches or migraines will benefit greatly from this book. I am a massage therapist and consider this information crucial when educating my client’s proper self care. It is extremely easy to understand with clear instructions and great diagrams showing muscles and possible trigger point placements. I am very grateful for this book as it has contributing greatly to my education on helping others with migraines and headaches.   - T. Flores

            I also have Valerie DeLaune's excellent CD-ROM, "Pain Relief with Trigger Point Self-help." I don't actually suffer from headaches or migraines, myself, but bought this for a friend. The other reviewers have positive experience in using this book, and discuss it very well - I can only add that I think the book is well organized, clearly written, and importantly, has numerous photos.   - Philip G.