Are there long term effects of Myofascial Pain Syndrome?

The prognosis for Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) depends on the duration of symptoms. Acute MPS usually resolves on its own or with simple treatments like heat application, stretching exercises, or specific treatments like dry needling or local anesthetic injections. However, chronic MPS, which has been present for a long time, tends to last much longer and can be difficult to treat if the underlying medical condition causing it is not addressed.

What are signs and symptoms of Myofascial Pain Syndrome?

Signs and symptoms of Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) include: - Muscle pain that is localized to certain areas and can also cause referred pain in other areas of the body. For example, pain in the infraspinatus muscle can lead to discomfort in the front area of the shoulder, the outer part of the arm, and the part of the hand closest to the thumb. - Pain can occur suddenly or gradually, and may be triggered by muscle injury or strenuous activities. However, in some cases, symptoms can develop without any apparent triggers. - During physical exams, doctors check for taut bands in the affected muscles. A taut band is an area of tightened muscle that can be felt by touch. - Doctors also look for Trigger Points (TrPs), which are notably tender areas on the taut band. Pressing on these Trigger Points can intensify local and referred pain. - Trigger Points can be categorized as active or latent. Active Trigger Points are present in patients experiencing symptoms, while latent Trigger Points are found in those without pain. - Diagnosis of MPS is primarily based on clinical signs and symptoms. Doctors use various clinical diagnostic criteria, but most agree that diagnosis should include the presence of a recognized Trigger Point, pain when the Trigger Point is palpated (touched), a specific pain referral pattern (pain felt away from the actual source of discomfort), and a local twitch response (a brief muscle contraction after touch or needling).

What kinds of test are needed for Myofascial Pain Syndrome?

The types of tests that are needed for Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) include: 1. Physical examination: This is the main method of diagnosing MPS. 2. Electromyography (EMG): This test measures the electrical activity of muscles and can detect "end-plate noise" at trigger points in MPS. 3. Ultrasound imaging: This can help identify trigger points in the muscles affected by MPS, as they may appear darker compared to surrounding healthy muscles. 4. Diagnostic ultrasound: This can help rule out other conditions like bursitis and tendinopathy. 5. X-rays: These can be used to identify any structural issues in the bones, such as spondylosis, scoliosis, or foraminal stenosis. 6. Laboratory tests: These may be recommended to check for hormonal or nutritional deficiencies that could be contributing to MPS, such as hypothyroidism or vitamin D deficiency.

What else can Myofascial Pain Syndrome be?

The doctor needs to rule out the following conditions when diagnosing Myofascial Pain Syndrome: - Tendinopathy - Arthritis - Bursitis - Nerve entrapment - Fibromyalgia

What type of doctor should I see for Myofascial Pain Syndrome?

You should see a doctor, such as a primary care physician or a pain specialist, for Myofascial Pain Syndrome.

How is Myofascial Pain Syndrome treated?

Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) is treated through a combination of methods. Patients are encouraged to learn stretching exercises and make ergonomic modifications to their surroundings to improve comfort. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and muscle relaxants may be prescribed to relieve muscle spasms, although their effectiveness is uncertain. Physical therapies such as extracorporeal shockwave and low power laser treatment can significantly reduce pain. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation provides short-term pain relief. Therapeutic ultrasound and acupuncture are also used to treat MPS. In more severe cases, invasive methods like dry needling and local anesthetic injections may be utilized. Additionally, addressing factors that prolong the condition, such as vitamin D deficiency, is important for successful management of MPS.

Myofascial Pain Syndrome

What is Myofascial Pain Syndrome?

Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a common cause of muscle pain. “Myo” means muscle and “fascia” is the connective tissue that surrounds the muscle. So, myofascial pain syndrome is a condition where pain originates from specific muscles and the surrounding tissue. Patients often experience pain in a specific, limited area, or sometimes, the pain can spread to different areas of the body. During a physical examination, doctors may find ‘trigger points’ – sensitive spots in the muscle that cause pain when pressed.

MPS can either be acute or chronic. Acute MPS usually gets better on its own or with minor treatments. On the other hand, chronic MPS may last for over six months and can be difficult to treat, often resulting in longer-lasting symptoms.

What Causes Myofascial Pain Syndrome?

Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS), a condition causing pain in the body’s soft tissues and muscles, can be caused by different factors. These are some of the typical risk factors:

– Experiences of physical trauma or accidents
– Ergonomic factors, such as too much repetitive activity or having poor posture
– Structural factors, including spine conditions like spondylosis (when discs in your spine wear down), scoliosis (an irregular curve of the spine), or osteoarthritis (a joint disease that breaks down tissue)
– Systemic factors, like hypothyroidism (when your thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough hormones), vitamin D deficiency, or lack of iron in your body

Risk Factors and Frequency for Myofascial Pain Syndrome

Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS), a musculoskeletal condition, is not frequently discussed in medical research, so it’s hard to know exactly how many people it affects in the entire population. However, we do know that it’s quite common among people who already have musculoskeletal pain, with 30% to 85% of those patients suffering from MPS. This condition is usually found in adults between the ages of 27 to 50. As for whether it’s more common in males or females, the research is still unclear.

Signs and Symptoms of Myofascial Pain Syndrome

Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) is often recognized by muscle pain that’s restricted to certain areas and can also affect other areas due to referred pain. For instance, myofascial pain in the infraspinatus muscle, found below the shoulder blade, can lead to discomfort in the front area of the shoulder, the outer part of the arm, and the part of the hand closest to the thumb. Pain can start suddenly or gradually, and some people may experience symptoms after injuring their muscles or following strenuous activities. But in some cases, people may develop symptoms even when there are no apparent triggers.

During physical exams, doctors usually check the affected muscles for taut bands and Trigger Points (TrPs). A taut band is an area of tightened muscle that can be felt by touch. A Trigger Point, on the other hand, is a notably tender area on the taut band that could intensify local and referred pain when pressed. Doctors categorize Trigger Points as active or latent, the former being present in patients experiencing symptoms, and the latter in those without pain.

Diagnosis of MPS is primarily based on clinical signs and symptoms. Several clinical diagnostic criteria are used by doctors to identify MPS. Most agree that diagnosis should include the following aspects:

A recognized Trigger Point
An acknowledgment of pain when the Trigger Point is palpated (touched)
A specific pain referral pattern (pain felt in an area away from the actual source of discomfort)
A local twitch response (a brief muscle contraction after touch or needling)

Testing for Myofascial Pain Syndrome

Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) is a medical condition that is diagnosed mainly through physical examination. However, certain medical devices like electromyography and ultrasound can help confirm this diagnosis. Electromyography, a test that measures the electrical activity of your muscles, can detect “end-plate noise” usually found at trigger points in MPS. Also, ultrasound imaging can help identify these trigger points, as the area of the muscle affected by MPS may appear darker (“hypoechoic”) compared to surrounding healthy muscles.

The use of medical imaging like ultrasound and electrophysiological tests like electromyography is essential not only to confirm a diagnosis of MPS but also to rule out other musculoskeletal disorders. Diagnostic ultrasound can help rule out conditions like bursitis (inflammation of the cushioning pads around joints) and tendinopathy (damage to the tendons). X-rays can be used to identify any structural issues in the bones, such as spondylosis (age-related wear and tear), scoliosis (curving of the spine), or foraminal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal). Electromyography can further help screen for other neuromuscular diseases.

In addition to these tests, your doctor may also recommend laboratory tests to check for certain hormonal or nutritional deficiencies that could be contributing to your MPS, such as hypothyroidism (when your thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough hormones) or vitamin D deficiency.

Treatment Options for Myofascial Pain Syndrome

The aim of managing Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS), a condition that affects the muscles, is to ease the pain and address any issues that may cause the condition. There are various ways to handle MPS, though it is essential that all patients learn about stretching exercises and how to adjust their surroundings (ergonomic modification) to make it more comfortable.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and muscle relaxants are often given to relieve muscle spasms, but it’s still uncertain how well these measures work. Also, physical therapies play a crucial role in managing MPS. Certain techniques, like extracorporeal shockwave (a procedure that applies sound waves to the affected body part) and low power laser treatment can significantly lessen pain for those with MPS. However, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (a therapy that uses low voltage electrical current for pain relief) typically only has a short-term effect on controlling pain.

Therapeutic ultrasound is often used to treat MPS, but it’s still unclear how beneficial this is. Some patients may benefit from more invasive methods, like dry needling, a technique where a small needle is used to target and release painful knots in muscles (Trigger Points or TrPs). Doctors can also inject a local anesthetic (a medicine that numbs a small area) into the painful spot for more effective pain reduction. Both these methods have been confirmed to be beneficial for MPS. Acupuncture, a unique therapy involving the insertion of thin needles at specific points on the body, can also be used to treat MPS.

Success in managing MPS also relies heavily on addressing the factors that prolong the condition, especially in chronic cases. For example, patients lacking vitamin D might not respond adequately to conventional treatments, hence, doctors should give them a vitamin D supplement in addition to other treatment options.

Many illnesses can present similar regional pain to Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS). These can include conditions like tendinopathy, arthritis, bursitis and nerve entrapment. It’s important that these are ruled out by a doctor through a clinical examination and investigation. The exact illness can often depend on the patterns and specific location of pain. For instance, if a patient has pain in the inner elbow, they should be checked for conditions like medial epicondylitis or cubital tunnel syndrome.

Patients who have chronic, multiple trigger points should also be evaluated for fibromyalgia – a condition that causes widespread chronic pain. Fibromyalgia and chronic MPS, while similar, are different in two important ways:

First, fibromyalgia patients usually have tender points spread throughout their muscles without any taut bands and referred pain. This means doctors need to be very careful when examining the area of pain.
Second, fibromyalgia patients often have comorbid conditions such as depressive mood, insomnia, dizziness, painful periods, numbness, among others; whereas, these symptoms are rarely found in patients with MPS.

What to expect with Myofascial Pain Syndrome

The outcome of Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS), a condition that affects the muscles, can greatly depend on how long you’ve been experiencing symptoms. In acute MPS, which means symptoms have just started, they usually go away on their own or after simple treatments like applying heat, doing stretching exercises, or getting a type of treatment like dry needling or local anesthetic injections.

However, chronic MPS, where symptoms have been present for a long time, tends to last much longer than the acute form. According to a past study, the average duration of symptoms was 63 months, or about 5 years. The range of duration varied from 6 months to 15 years (180 months). It’s important to note that chronic MPS can become difficult to treat if the root medical condition causing it isn’t addressed.