Myofascial Pain Syndrome

Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic form of pain which can affect the entire body, but face and jaw in particular. This pain often accompanies the pain of fibromyalgia. If this pain is not diagnosed in time, it can cause disability and poor quality of life. Although all of us do suffer from pain, myofascial pain persists for an extended period of time and worsens with time.

The pain due to this syndrome centers around sensitive points in the muscles known as 'trigger points'. The trigger points can be so inflamed, that they can cause pain when touched, and the pain can spread through the entire muscle. There are several trigger points for this syndrome, which are associated with myofascial pain, such as headaches, jaw pain, neck pain, lower back pain, pelvic region pain, arm pain and leg pain. The trigger points themselves can be divided into four types of trigger points. They are active trigger point, which is an area of extreme tenderness. This point lies within the skeletal muscle, associated with a local or regional pain. Latent trigger point is a dormant point, which has the potential to flare up and behave like a trigger point. A secondary trigger point on the other hand is an irritable spot in the muscle, which can become active, because of a trigger point and muscular overload in another muscle. The last of the trigger points is the satellite trigger point, which is a highly irritable spot in a muscle, that becomes inactive, as the muscle lies in the region of another trigger point.

Symptoms

The first of the signs and symptoms of myofascial pain syndrome is deep, aching pain in a particular muscle. This pain often persists and worsens as time progresses by. There can be muscle stiffness accompanied by joint stiffness in the area of the affected muscle. The tension is the muscle feels like a knot in the muscle or a tight spot, which is often sensitive to touch. The person often finds difficulty in sleeping due to the pain.

Some of the other symptoms which can appear unrelated, but often are related, are numbness in the extremities of the body, popping or clicking sensation in the joints, limited control on the joints, which can also be accompanied by muscle weakness. This often leads to dropping of things. Migraine or headache and disturbed sleep are other common problems which can also be caused due to this syndrome. Some people can also suffer from balance problems, tinnitus and ear pain, double vision or blurred vision, problems with memory as well as unexplained nausea, dizziness and sweating.

Prognosis

Myofascial pain syndrome can result from an injury to a muscle, or due to excessive strain on a certain muscle or muscle group, ligament or tendon. Injury to the inter-vertebral disc can also give rise to this pain. Doing the same motion repeatedly over a period of time is also one of the causes of myofascial pain. General fatigue causes the body to collapse, which in turn can result in terrible pain. Certain medical conditions like heart attack, stomach problems, etc. can also lead to this problem. Lack of activity for a certain muscle group can stiffen the muscles, thereby, aggravating this syndrome.

Treatment

Physical therapy is the most preferred method to treat this condition. Another therapy, which is commonly used is "stretch and spray" technique. In this the muscles and trigger points are sprayed with coolants and then the muscle is stretched slowly. Massage therapy is one of the treatment methods used to treat this condition. In certain severe cases, injections can be given to the trigger points to bring the pain under control. At the same time, some people might be prescribed a combination of all the treatment methods.

It is important to diagnose and treat the myofascial pain syndrome in time. If it is not treated in time, there are chances of disability. It is recommended you visit your health care professional in time to take care of the problem.