Health and Exercise

Why is it called a secret source of Muscle Pain and Soft Tissue Pain?

There is a Muscle Pain and Soft Tissue Pain source that is difficult to pinpoint, because the pain is felt someplace other than the source of the problem, and if it is not treated properly, it can be difficult to resolve. That is why it has been deemed as a Muscle Pain and Soft Tissue Pain Secret. This secret and hidden source of pain is also called Myofascial Pain or Myofascial Pain Syndrome.

What is Myofascial Pain?

If it feels like your muscles are literally in knots, and pressing on those knots creates pain someplace else on your body, then you are more than likely experiencing Myofascial Pain, also known as Myofascial Pain Syndrome. The prefix Myo means muscle, and the suffix Fascia means connective tissue, therefore the word Myofascial translates to muscle and connective tissue. The word Syndrome basically means a group of symptoms. In essence, Myofascial Pain Syndrome literally means muscle and connective tissue pain symptoms. Myofascial Pain Syndrome is directly related to and associated with Trigger Points.

What are Trigger Points?

A Trigger Point is an extremely irritable knot in taut bands of muscle or connective tissue that can produce tenderness, or a twitch response in part of the soft tissue, and referred pain to different locations of the body when external pressure is placed upon them. That is why it is termed as being a Trigger Point.

What are some descriptions of the response generated by putting external pressure on a Trigger Point?

If we put external pressure upon a Trigger Point, the result of that pressure has been described as being tender, burning, searing, itching, tingling, twitching, and electrical in feeling. Responses vary according to the patient, the source of the problem, and where the symptoms are referred to.

Where are Trigger Points commonly found?

Trigger Points can be found in many different types of soft tissue such as muscle, tendon, ligament, skin, scar tissue, and joint capsules. Trigger Points can be caused by other trigger points, direct trauma to soft tissue, infection, disease, radiculopathy-nerve root pain, repetitive stress injury, smoking, or psychological distress. Trigger points also inhibit blood flow, which can make the pain worse unless treated. Trigger Points have different characteristics, qualities and predictable pain patterns that can overlap and require extensive and often intensive treatment to eliminate them.

What are some characteristics of Trigger Points?

Primary trigger points may activate Secondary trigger points in other structures, and both must be treated in order to alleviate both sources of pain. Key Trigger Points have pain referral patterns that activate or create a Latent trigger point along a nerve pathway. Key trigger points also activate Satellite Trigger Points in other soft tissue structures. Latent Trigger Points only refer pain when some type of pressure or force is placed upon the trigger point itself or to the soft tissue structure where the latent trigger point is located. Both must be treated in order to alleviate both sources of pain. Active Trigger Points actively refer pain along nerve pathways locally, or to adjacent locations.

What treatment options are available for Myofascial Pain Syndrome?

Treatment options depend upon the health or medical practitioner including low-level laser therapy, ultrasound, dry needling, injections, spray and stretch using a vapocoolant spray, electrostimulation, ischemic compression, and medical massage therapy emphasizing the specified treatment of trigger points. Injections of Lidocaine can be performed by Physiatrists, but keep in mind that Muscle Soreness is a common side effect for that technique and many others. Stretch and spray technique is when the muscle and trigger point are sprayed with a coolant, then the muscle is slowly stretched.

What is a proven and effective treatment method for Myofascial Pain?

A highly skilled Medical Massage Therapist can apply a combination of Myofascial Release, Quasi-Static Pressure, Muscle Energy Technique, and Counterstrain to get rid of Myofascial Pain and can minimize the effects of Muscle Soreness simultaneously. Muscle Energy Technique and Counterstrain work on sensors in soft tissue known as Proprioceptors to relax muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Myofascial Release stretches and loosens the Fascia so that your body can move freely, removing pain and restriction. Quasi-Static pressure works within the patients pain tolerance.

What does Myofascial Pain Syndrome and Trigger Points represent, and is it enough just to directly treat either condition?

It is important for all of us to understand that Myofascial Pain Syndrome and Trigger Points represent the effect of a problem or problems, and not the cause of a problem. This means that Myofascial Pain or Trigger Points were created by something, and that something most commonly is some kind of soft tissue injury. In most cases, the injury is caused by repetitive stress, trauma, or weakness. This means that we must look beyond the direct treatment of Myofascial Pain or Trigger Points if we are to truly resolve both the cause and effect of the problems we are experiencing, or we will more than likely have to treat the same conditions over and over again.

What will help to ensure that Myofascial Pain and Trigger Points don’t return after they are treated?

The source of repetitive stress must be alleviated to provide for a rehabilitative environment if that is the problem, or healing will never take place. Weakness is usually a very big cause of the problem, and lengthening and stretching already overstretched Muscle Groups will make muscles that are already weak even weaker. Likewise, strengthening the wrong muscle groups will only serve to make the problem worse, not better.

What needs to happen before we treat Myofascial Pain?

A skilled Medical Massage Therapist or other Healthcare Professional should conduct a Diagnostic Pain Assessment consisting of tests for Soft Tissue Palpation, Muscular Strength, Muscular Weakness, AROM-Active Range of Motion, PROM-Passive Range of Motion, and RROM-Resisted Range of Motion prior to treatment for Myofascial Pain and Trigger Points. Assessment outcome will determine an effective treatment plan for shortened soft tissue structures that need to be lengthened, and weak muscles and soft tissue that need to be strengthened, as well as providing the Therapist with a Map of the Trigger Points and soft tissue dysfunction that was encountered.

What kind of home rehabilitation should be dome to enhance the treatment of our soft tissue problems?

If repetitive stress, muscle weakness, and shortened musculature is the cause of the problem, then Myofascial Pain Syndrome cannot be treated solely and effectively by a healthcare practitioner. Myofascial Pain treatment will benefit from applications of hydrotherapy, stretching and strengthening, and self-trigger point therapy at home to prevent reoccurrence of trigger point restriction, increase blood flow, maintain flexibility, and promote healing.

What then is the best overall treatment approach to Myofascial Pain Syndrome?

An organized, multi-faceted treatment approach, put together by a highly skilled Medical Massage Therapist, based upon the results of a Diagnostic Pain Assessment, Cutting Edge Medical Massage Therapy, and At-Home Rehabilitation is the very best way to ensure that the Myofascial Pain and Trigger Points we are experiencing will be effectively eliminated and will never bother us again.