Category: myofascial pain syndrome

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WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MYOFASCIAL PAIN -v- DISC PAIN?…

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As most of my readers know I suffer from chronic back pain. Nowadays spinal fusion is not used as the first choice for prolapsed discs with pain management being the first treatment and only if nerves are compressed is it used as another option.

The problem with spinal fusion especially if you have more than one surgery is the pressure it puts on the disc below and above your fusion.

Another condition which you can also suffer from after any type of surgery is Myofascial Pain Syndrome which is a chronic painful muscle disorder and is common if you have experienced a muscle injury. Over time these myofascial restrictions can lead to poor biomechanics, altered structural alignment, compromised blood supply and pain. Other causes of myofascial pain are injuries to an intervertebral disc, general fatigue, repetitive motions, and some medical conditions.

The symptom of the condition includes muscle pain that feels like a firm knot, which is accentuated when moved. Myofascial pain syndrome gets worse or fails to improve over time. Muscles feel weak, stiff and inflexible and have a reduced range of motion. Due to the pain, there may be difficulty in sleeping, which may also affect a person’s mood.

It is characterised by the myofascial trigger points and the symptoms include persistent or worsening pain, deep and aching muscle pain, tender knots located in the muscles and pain after exercise or sporting activity.

Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) is the name given to pain caused by trigger points and fascia (connective tissue) adhesions in the body, usually in muscle tissue, and inflammation in the body’s soft tissues. The myofascial pain is usually caused by overuse of the muscle, trauma (injury) or psychological stress. Other contributing factors may include bad posture, small lesions, soft tissue tension or rheumatic arthritis, gout, thyroid problems, or psoriasis among other diseases.

Myo = muscle
Fascia = the main connective tissue in the body
Release = to let go, ease pressure

Treatments include anti-inflammatory medication, pain killers, physical therapy, stretching, massage therapy and trigger point injections.

A trigger point injection is either a cortisone injection or dry needling. Pain relief is quick and helps in continuing physical therapy. Trigger point injections can also be used for people suffering from degenerative disc disease.

Understanding the cause of your pain is an important step to finding an effective solution. It may involve a series of sessions and an at home program to keep the area strong.

Disc pain can come from a disc bulge or prolapse but you can also get myofascial pain which could be treated conservatively instead of surgery. Fibromyalgia patients can also suffer from myofascial pain. According to history, Sir William Gowers introduced the term fibrositis for a common, but idiopathic, localized form of muscular rheumatism that is now recognised as myofascial pain syndrome in 1904. And, despite the intervening years, it still constitutes the largest group of unrecognised and undertreated acute and chronic pain problems. Some people (like myself) have also been told they could have Fibromyalgia, previously named ‘fibrositis’.

Nerve block injections into your neck for a disc bulge can be quite dangerous as they are quite tricky to do and they go through the front of your neck.

I guess with any spinal pain after you have had all the tests it’s then worth trying alternative treatments well before you resort to surgery which is something I have always said I would avoid having.

Source: Top Doctors

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MYOFASCIAL RELEASE THERAPY FOR ALL TYPES OF CHRONIC PAIN…

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Myofascial Release Therapy is another therapy that works around acupressure points. It is s now becoming one of best-known massage type of treatment for chronic pain, tension and muscular problems.

Myofascial release therapy (MRT) was originally coined by an osteopath, although today you will find that many well-trained physiotherapists, massage therapists and chiropractors also practice this technique because of its effectiveness. MRT is a hands-on treatment whose purpose is to break down scar tissue, relax your muscles and fascia, and improve posture. Myofascial release therapy is usually slow in nature, and can be deep but does not always need to be as such. Many practitioners state that the technique should be painful to be effective, while others argue that proper use of the therapy does not need to be painful at all.

Research has proven that fascia, like a muscle, has the ability to contract and relax and plays a major role in mobility and stability of joints. Myofascial Release UK say the general understanding of ‘myofascial release’ has changed over the last decade since MFR UK has been providing workshops for healthcare professionals. In the past, MFR was a treatment approach in its own right and everything else was called massage. However, with popularity comes ambiguity and what MFR is and how it’s applied has become somewhat lost in translation over recent years. Normally the term ‘massage’ describes a fluid movement over the body using lubrication. As the popularity of MFR grows, massage treatments are being renamed ‘MFR’ to keep up with the current trends creating confusion for both practitioners seeking professional MFR training and for clients seeking resolve from their #pain and discomfort.

There is a condition known as Myofascial Pain Syndrome which is a chronic painful muscle disorder and is common if you have experienced a muscle injury. Over time these myofascial restrictions can lead to poor biomechanics, altered structural alignment, compromised blood supply and pain. Other causes of myofascial pain are injuries to an intervertebral disc, general fatigue, repetitive motions, and some medical conditions.

It is characterised by the myofascial trigger points and the symptoms include persistent or worsening pain, deep and aching muscle pain, tender knots located in the muscles and pain after exercise or sporting activity.

Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) is the name given to pain caused by trigger points and fascia (connective tissue) adhesions in the body, usually in muscle tissue, and inflammation in the body’s soft tissues.

Myo = muscle
Fascia = the main connective tissue in the body
Release = to let go, ease pressure

Many people with fibromyalgia also have chronic myofascial pain or CMP (formally known as Myofascial Pain Syndrome, MPS) and don’t even know it. It is often missed because it is easy to confuse the pain and it’s origins with that of FM. As a result, it is missed in the diagnosis. Both are connected to the musculoskeletal system, which makes up almost 50% of our body weight, but should not be confused as being the same. Understanding FM and CMP and what makes them tick, will empower you to help yourself. You will be able to figure out some of the contributing factors to your pain, where it originates and what makes it feel better. It will help you understand treatments and find the one(s) that work for you.

It was recently discovered that MPS is not actually a syndrome at all, but a neuromuscular disease. This is important news! The difference? Diseases have known causes and a well-understood process for producing symptoms. Myofascial pain due to trigger points is now considered a true disease, rather than a syndrome. Fibromyalgia is a syndrome like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus and has tender points (not to be confused with trigger points). Even with these differences, it is believed by many researchers that one can influence the other.

In America, sufferers are doing ‘self-myofascial release (foam rolling)’ using a lacrosse ball and foam to roll out trigger points. They say, ‘it can help reduce muscle soreness, increase mobility, and prevent problems created by tightness and poor tissue quality like plantar fascists, sciatica, and more.”

It is a scientific fact that all muscles and their fibrous coating and connective tissue that joins muscles to bones, the fascia, are a source of pain if the functionality is changed by an accident or normal wear and tear/degeneration. Muscles may develop Myofascial ‘tender spots’ or ‘Trigger Points’. These Trigger Points are not only painful where they are found, but may also send pain away from that spot, to what is called Referred pain.

Sources : Ezine, Ezine Myofascial Release UK




#backpainblog, #BACKPAINBLOGUK, backpainbloguk, back pain, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, health, chromic pain, reviews, #fibromyalgia, #pain, BACK PAIN, CHRONIC PAIN, DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE, FIBROMYALGIA, myofascial pain syndrome

MYOFASCIAL PAIN -v- DISC PAIN…

barmac5

As most of my readers know I suffer from chronic back pain after four previous spinal fusion surgeries only alleviated the pain for a matter of years before it came back.

Nowadays spinal fusion is not used as the first choice for prolapsed discs with pain management being the first treatment and only if nerves are compressed is it used as another option.

The problem with spinal fusion especially if you have more than one surgery is the pressure it puts on the disc below and above your fusion.

Another condition which you can also suffer from after any type of surgery is Myofascial Pain Syndrome which is a chronic painful muscle disorder and is common if you have experienced a muscle injury. Over time these myofascial restrictions can lead to poor biomechanics, altered structural alignment, compromised blood supply and pain. Other causes of myofascial pain are injuries to an intervertebral disc, general fatigue, repetitive motions, and some medical conditions.

It is characterised by the myofascial trigger points and the symptoms include persistent or worsening pain, deep and aching muscle pain, tender knots located in the muscles and pain after exercise or sporting activity.

Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) is the name given to pain caused by trigger points and fascia (connective tissue) adhesions in the body, usually in muscle tissue, and inflammation in the body’s soft tissues.

Myo = muscle
Fascia = the main connective tissue in the body
Release = to let go, ease pressure

Treatments include anti-inflammatory medication, pain killers, physical therapy, stretching, massage therapy and trigger point injections.

A trigger point injection is either a cortisone injection or dry needling. Pain relief is quick and helps in continuing physical therapy. Trigger point injections can also be used for people suffering from degenerative disc disease.

Understanding the cause of your pain is an important step to finding an effective solution. It may involve a series of sessions and an at home program to keep the area strong.

Disc pain can come from a disc bulge or prolapse but you can also get myofascial pain which could be treated conservatively instead of surgery. Fibromyalgia patients can also suffer from myofascial pain. According to history, Sir William Gowers introduced the term fibrositis for a common, but idiopathic, localized form of muscular rheumatism that is now recognised as myofascial pain syndrome in 1904. And, despite the intervening years, it still constitutes the largest group of unrecognised and undertreated acute and chronic pain problems. Some people (like myself) have also been told they could have Fibromyalgia, previously named ‘fibrositis’.

My neck and arm pain have been giving me a lot of problems since last summer and after extensive tests, MRI’s, ct scans and more it was decided that a nerve block would help with the pain. There is never any guarantee with any injection but they hope to give the patient a few months of pain relief.

Nerve block injections into your neck for a disc bulge can be quite dangerous as they are quite tricky to do and they go through the front of your neck. I had this injection about six weeks ago. It’s not a very nice injection (if any are) but I knew the pain consultant had hit the spot and soon felt total relief. Unfortunately, it was short lived and only gave me pain relief for a few weeks. Not all the pain has come back but most of it as did the pins and needles.

I then had another appointment at the pain clinic and after looking at my MRI’s etc I was given a quick check where my pain consultant felt that the pain I now have could well be myofascial and not from the bulging disc so he has booked me in for a series of steroid injections in my shoulders.

I guess with any spinal pain after you have had all the tests it’s then worth trying alternative treatments well before you resort to surgery which is something I have always said I would avoid having.