Myofascial pain, normally referred to as myofascial pain syndrome, is a chronic condition in which pain is centered in the soft tissues of your muscles called trigger points. Myofascial pain can be found in muscles throughout the body, most commonly in the back and neck. A variety of treatments are available to alleviate pain.
Causes
Causes of myofascial pain may include injury or repetitive motions of a single muscle or muscle group. The muscle fibers tighten, forming sensitive areas called trigger points. Trigger points are painful areas that when touched can send pain throughout the muscle. This type of pain is called referred pain.
Symptoms
Myofascial pain syndrome symptoms include muscle pain and stiffness that persists over a period of time, a knot or tight spot in the muscle that is tender to the touch and pain that is made worse by activity. You may also have difficulty sleeping because of the pain and experience fatigue or depression because of it.
Risks
Certain factors my increase your risk of myofascial pain and include muscle injury from sports-related activities or exercising without warming up. Stress and anxiety may contribute to this type of pain. People under stress and worry tend to be more tense and clench their muscles, straining sensitive muscle areas causing trigger or tender points.
Treatment
A physical therapy plan will be devised based on your symptoms. Gentle stretching exercises of the affected area should lessen pain. The physical therapist also may spray a numbing solution on the trigger point as you stretch your muscles. Massage helps loosen the affected muscle, and pressure put on the trigger point may help release tension.
Trigger-point injections are needle injections into and around the trigger-point area to help relieve tension in the muscle. Your doctor may use numbing or corticosteroid solutions in the injections to relieve pain and inflammation.
Medications such as Advil or Motrin can reduce muscle pain. A type of antidepressant called tricyclic antidepressants may relieve pain and help you sleep better.
Lifestyle Changes
Stress tenses muscles, so find ways you can rest and relax. Listen to relaxation tapes, take a nice long walk, read a book or magazine, or take a nice long soak in the tub. Gentle stretching helps muscles become flexible and lessen trigger-point areas. Acupuncture is a treatment in which thin needles are inserted into certain points in the body to relieve pressure. No study has been done to confirm the virtues of this treatment, but if other treatments fail, this may be an option. Consult your doctor first, and see if he has any recommendations for an acupuncturist.
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