Detecting the Onset of Myofascial Pain Syndrome and Acting Early

Everyone experiences muscle pain from time to time, whether it’s after a tough workout or from moving in a way you’re not used to. Your muscles need time to heal, and then the pain should go away after a day or two.

However, in some cases, your muscles never stop hurting – they may even begin to hurt more. You may initially think this is normal, especially if you continue to work out or move while the muscles are healing. But this pain is not normal. In fact, it may be a sign that you are experiencing a painful condition called myofascial pain syndrome.

Myofascial pain syndrome can lead to long-term feelings of pain and may pose serious disruptions to your daily routine. Fortunately, there are ways to release tension in your muscles and find relief. At Ideal Spine, we train chiropractors in Chiropractic BioPhysics (CBP), an advanced chiropractic approach to spine and total-body wellness. Speaking to one of our trained chiropractors may help you determine if you suffer from myofascial pain syndrome and find solutions early on.

What is myofascial pain syndrome?

Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic pain disorder characterized by the painful development of sensitive nodules, or trigger points, in the connective tissue of your muscle called the fascia. If pressure is applied to these trigger points, whether directly or through nearby strain or tension, the trigger point will produce deep pain in the muscle. Trigger points can also cause referred pain, or pain in other areas of the body, making them somewhat difficult to diagnose.

The most common reason trigger points occur is because the muscles are being contracted too often. This may happen because of repetitive movements on the job or in a sport, an acute muscular injury, tension caused by stress, or even poor posture. Anything that puts repeated stress on the muscle poses the risk of developing a trigger point.

The symptoms of myofascial pain syndrome are typically felt in the lower back and neck and may include:

• Deep, aching muscle pain;
• Muscle pain that persists or worsens rather than eases over time;
• Tender knots in muscles;
• Inability to sleep because of pain or discomfort.

If you believe you may be experiencing myofascial pain syndrome, think about if you have recently suffered an acute muscle injury, if you tend to use particular muscles repeatedly for a job or hobby, or if you frequently experience muscle tension due to stress. These risk factors can help you identify the condition early and may help you get ahead of the problem.

Trigger point-related pain may cause you to tense up more, resulting in more trigger points, and so on. Early identification of the condition may help you receive treatment to prevent the development of additional trigger points and to relieve tension in muscles for pain relief.

Pain relief for myofascial pain syndrome

At home, one easy method of myofascial pain relief is heat therapy. A balance between mild exercise and relaxation may also be beneficial to the muscle by strengthening it and letting it heal.

In addition to at-home therapy, chiropractic care may be able to help you manage your pain. Chiropractors use a number of physical therapy techniques to treat myofascial pain syndrome. Among these are massage, which targets the affected muscle with the intention of loosening it to potentially alleviate pain, and stretches, which may assist in elongating and relieving tension in the painful muscle.

If you are experiencing deep muscle pain that doesn’t seem to go away, contact an experience chiropractor trained by Ideal Spine today. By working with a musculoskeletal expert, you may be able to get ahead of the pain or find solutions for long-term pain management.

Chiropractic BioPhysics® corrective care trained Chiropractors are located throughout the United States and in several international locations. CBP providers have helped thousands of people throughout the world realign their spine back to health, and eliminate a source of chronic back pain, chronic neck pain, chronic headaches and migraines, fibromyalgia, and a wide range of other health conditions. If you are serious about your health and the health of your loved ones, contact a CBP trained provider today to see if you qualify for care. The exam and consultation are often FREE. See www.CBPpatient.com for providers in your area.