Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS)

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What is the Myofascial Pain Syndrome?

Myofascial pain is a chronic condition characterized by pain in the soft tissue surrounding the muscles. Myofascial pain syndrome can vary in severity and may affect one muscle or an entire group. In some cases, patient may experience referred pain. This happens when the pain is felt somewhere else other  than where the injury occurred.

Causes of the Myofascial Pain Syndrome

Myofascial pain may develop from injury of a muscle, ligament or tendon or from their excessive strain. The cause could be:

• Intervertebral disk injury
• Tiredness
• Motions that are repeated
• In some cases, other medical conditions such as depression, stomach irritation and heart attack can cause myofascial pain.
• Inactivity

Symptoms

Patients report certain tender points or triggers that cause pain. If the patient is stressed or active, the pain can become worse. Patients may also report other symptoms such as fatigue, depression and other psychological issues.

Treatments

Physical therapy is considered as the best option for myofascial pain syndrome. Some patients respond well to a coolant that is sprayed on the muscle. Once the spray is applied, the muscle is stretch. For some patients, massage therapy has helped.  Patients that don’t respond to these treatments, an anesthetic injection may help. Some patients use all of these methods to manage their myofascial pain.