• César Fernández-de-Las-Peñas and Jan Dommerholt.
• Department Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain.
• Pain Med. 2018 Jan 1; 19 (1): 142-150.

ObjectiveThere is no consensus on the essential diagnostic criteria for diagnosing a trigger point (TrP). In fact, a variety of diagnostic criteria are currently being used. Our aim was to conduct a Delphi panel to achieve an international consensus on the cluster of criteria needed for the TrP diagnosis to reach a consensus on the definition of active and latent TrPs and to clarify different clinical considerations about TrPs.MethodsFollowing international guidelines, an international three-round Delphi survey was conducted. Questions were created based on a systematic literature search of the diagnostic criteria for TrPs.ResultsSixty experts from 12 countries completed all rounds of the survey. A cluster of three diagnostic criteria was proposed as essential for the TrP diagnosis: a taut band, a hypersensitive spot, and referred pain. Eighty percent of the experts agreed that the referred pain elicited by a TrP can include different sensory sensations and not just pain, that is, pain spreading to a distant area, deep pain, dull ache, tingling, or burning pain. Eighty-four percent of the international experts consistently answered that the main clinical differences between active and latent TrPs are the reproduction of any of the symptoms experienced by a patient and the recognition of pain. No specific location of the pain referral area and TrP location should be expected.ConclusionsThis Delphi panel has produced an expert-based standardized definition of a TrP with a discussion of the clinical components, including the definition of referred pain and the difference between active and latent TrPs, thereby providing a foundation for future research in MPS.© 2017 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

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