Myofascial pain syndrome
Make an Appointment
Talk to DoctorOverview
Chronic pain illness known as myofascial pain syndrome. In this disease, applying pressure to trigger points in your muscles might result in pain in the affected muscle and occasionally in seemingly unrelated areas of your body (referred pain).
Usually, this disease develops after a muscle has been repeatedly contracted. Repetitive actions from occupations or hobbies, as well as muscle strain brought on by stress, can all contribute to this.
Anyone can experience muscle discomfort at any time in their lives. Muscle pain can affect anyone, from a woman carrying her infant to a carpenter installing shingles to your closest friend helping you lift boxes during a move. Unfortunately, this discomfort can be intolerable for some people and can linger for a very long time after it should have subsided. Myofascial pain could be the cause of any persistent muscular pain that you feel.
Although almost everyone has experienced muscle tension pain, myofascial pain syndrome causes discomfort that either lasts longer or gets worse. Physical therapy and trigger point injections are two possible treatments. Additionally helpful are painkillers and relaxation techniques.
Symptoms
Myofascial pain syndrome symptoms and signs might include:
- A painful muscle knot
- Deep pain in the muscle
- Pain that lasts or gets worse
- Restricted motion or weakness in the afflicted parts
- Sleep issues because of the pain
- Headaches
- Depression, stress, or anxiety
In the event that your muscular pain persists, schedule a visit with your doctor. Most people occasionally feel muscle soreness. But schedule a visit with your doctor if your muscular discomfort doesn’t go away despite rest, massage therapy, and other self-care techniques.
Causes
Your muscles may develop sensitive areas of tight muscle fibers as a result of accidents or overuse. Trigger points are the term for these delicate areas. A muscle’s trigger point can make the entire muscle feel strained and painful. Myofascial pain syndrome is the term used by doctors when this pain continues and gets worse.
Risk factors
Myofascial pain syndrome arises when certain stimuli, such as muscle tension or tightness, activate trigger points within your muscles. The following factors may raise your risk of developing muscle trigger points:
- Muscle injury. Trigger points can form as a result of a recent muscular injury or ongoing muscle stress. A region within or close to a strained muscle, for instance, could develop into a trigger point. Poor posture and repetitive actions might also raise your risk.
- Stress and anxiety. Trigger points in the muscles may be more likely to form in those who feel stress and anxiety often. According to one idea, these persons may clench their muscles more frequently, which is a repetitive tension that makes muscles more prone to trigger points.
Diagnosis
Your doctor may gently push the uncomfortable area with his or her finger during the physical examination to check for any tight spots. The trigger point can be pressed in particular ways to evoke particular responses. For instance, you might feel a twitch in your muscles.
The causes of muscle soreness might vary greatly. To rule out further causes of muscular discomfort, your doctor could suggest additional exams and treatments.
Treatment
Medication, trigger point injections, or physical therapy are frequently used as myofascial pain syndrome treatments. Exercise is seen as a crucial part of any therapeutic program, but there is no clear evidence to favor one therapy over another. With your doctor, go over your options and preferred course of therapy. To get pain relief, you might need to attempt several different strategies.
Medications
Myofascial pain syndrome is treated with the following medications:
- Pain relievers. Some people may benefit from taking over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen and naproxen sodium. Or, your doctor might suggest stronger painkillers. Some are offered as skin-applied patches that you apply.
- Antidepressants. Antidepressants come in a variety of forms that might ease pain. Amitriptyline seems to lessen pain and enhance sleep for some myofascial pain syndrome sufferers.
- Sedatives. The anxiety and restless nights that might occasionally accompany myofascial pain syndrome are treated with clonazepam. It must be used with caution because it might make one drowsy and develop into a habit.
Therapy
Based on your signs and symptoms, a physical therapist can come up with a plan to assist you manage your pain. To treat myofascial pain syndrome using physical therapy:
- Stretching. To help relieve the pain in your afflicted muscle, a physical therapist could guide you through some simple stretching exercises. The physical therapist may apply a numbing agent to your skin if you experience trigger point pain while stretching.
- Massage. Your injured muscle may be massaged by a physical therapist to help with pain management. To relieve tension, the physical therapist may massage your muscles with long strokes or apply pressure to particular points on your muscles.
- Posture training. Myofascial pain can be relieved, especially in the neck, by correcting your posture. You can prevent overusing any one muscle by performing exercises that strengthen the muscles around your trigger point.
- Ultrasound. This type of therapy employs sound waves to warm the body and increase blood flow, which may help muscles affected by myofascial pain syndrome heal.
- Heat. Using heat to relax muscles and lessen discomfort can be accomplished by using a hot pack or a hot shower.
Needle procedures
Pain can be reduced by injecting a steroid or numbing substance into a trigger point. In some people, simply placing the needle into the trigger point aids in releasing the tension in the muscles. This method, also known as dry needling, includes repeated needle insertions into and near the trigger point. Myofascial pain syndrome sufferers who receive acupuncture treatment seem to benefit from it in some cases.
