Myofascial Pain -- The Symptoms and Causes

How to Diagnose and Treat Myofascial Pain Syndrome

Myofascial Pain Syndrome Websites
Need More nformation on Pain Treatments!
Myofascial Pain -- The Symptoms and Causes
Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic local or regional musculos"eletal pain disorder that may in#ol#e
either a single muscle or a muscle group$ The pain may be of a burning% stabbing% aching or nagging
&uality$ mportantly% where the patient e'periences the pain may not be where the myofascial pain
generator is located$ This is "nown as referred pain$ The pathophysiology of myofascial pain remains
somewhat of a mystery due to limited clinical research( howe#er% based on case reports and medical
obser#ation% in#estigators thin" it may de#elop from a muscle lesion or e'cessi#e strain on a particular
muscle or muscle group% ligament or tendon$ t is thought that the lesion or the strain prompts the
de#elopment of a )trigger point) that% in turn% causes pain$
n addition to the local or regional pain% people with myofascial pain syndrome also can suffer from
depression% fatigue and beha#ioral disturbances% as with all chronic pain conditions$
How to Diagnose and Treat Myofascial Pain Syndrome
*ecognition of this syndrome is difficult and re&uires the physician to ha#e a precise understanding of
the body+s anatomy$ Trigger points can be identified by pain produced upon digital palpation ,applying
pressure with one to three fingers and the thumb-$ n diagnosing myofascial pain syndrome% four
types of trigger points can be distinguished.
active trigger point -- an area of e'&uisite tenderness that is usually located in a s"eletal muscle
and is associated with local or regional pain(
latent trigger point -- a dormant area that can potentially beha#e li"e an acti#e trigger point(
secondary trigger point -- a hyperirritable spot in a muscle that becomes acti#e as a result of a
trigger point and muscular o#erload in another muscle(
satellite myofascial point -- a hyperirritable spot in a muscle that becomes acti#e because the
muscle is located within the region of another trigger point$
The best treatments for myofascial pain syndrome are acti#e and passi#e physical therapy methods$
There is also the )stretch and spray) techni&ue% in which the muscle with the trigger point is sprayed
along its length with a coolant such as fluorimethane% and then stretched slowly$
Trigger point in/ection% whereby local anesthesia is in/ected directly into the trigger point% also is used$
0t times% corticosteroids and botulinum to'in can be in/ected$ Massage therapy also can be of
significant benefit in some patients$ 1ften a combination of physical therapy% trigger point in/ections
and massage are needed in refractory chronic cases$
Myofascial Pain Syndrome Websites
eMedicine$com. Myofascial Pain
Medicine$net. Myofascial Pain Syndrome
Merc" Manual. Myofascial Pain Syndrome
Need More nformation on Pain Treatments!
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