Myofascial pain syndrome or MPS is the medical term for simple muscle pain, which is the pain or inflammation of the body’s soft tissues. There are different causes of muscle pain, which could either be caused by daily physical activities or medical conditions.
WHEN DOES MYOFASCIAL PAIN OCCUR?
Muscle pain can occur at any time and for almost any reason, depending on your physical condition, health, age and genes, among others. However, the usual causes of myofascial release stem from:
1. Injury caused to muscle fibers resulting from accidents;
2. Muscle pain due to physical over exertion or repetitive motions; or
3. Lack of physical activities or sedentariness of the muscles.
What are trigger points in relation to mps?
You may have heard of trigger point injections in the treatments of muscle pains and strains. Myofascial pain may involve single or group of muscles and in some cases, the cause of the muscle pain may not be centered on the place where the pain is being felt. Hence, experts believe that there are trigger points which cause pain to different areas of the muscle, known as “referred pain” and trigger point injections are provided to ease the pain in the referred areas.
How can myofascial pain be diagnosed?
Based on the trigger point theory MPS can be diagnosed by palpating or providing pressure to specific parts of the body. There are active and passive trigger points that may determine the origin of the MPS.
• Active trigger point – refers to areas of extreme tenderness or where the pain is associated or localized.
• Passive trigger point – refers to areas of the body which may cause muscle weakness or restriction of movement and where pain may originate.
How to prevent muscle pain syndrome?
Muscle pain is associated usually with muscle activities. In case your MPS is not associated with a medical condition or the effect of other medication that you are taking, you can minimize the risk of MPS by making sure that you take up a scheduled exercise regimen. By building your muscle and strengthening your physique, you have a better chance of not straining your muscles in case of sports or performing daily activities like lifting or bending.
Treatments for myofascial pain syndrome
If you feel temporary or minor muscle pain, you can always take a rest to naturally heal your body or you can also take over-the-counter medication like non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. You can even take medications for sleep or other muscle relaxants to relieve stress and cure your muscle pain.
However, in case your muscle pain does not go away in a day or two, or if you feel serious pain symptoms, the best thing to do is seek medical help from your trusted doctor to make sure that your symptoms are diagnosed properly and you are provided with the medication and treatment you deserve, which include:
1. Physical therapy;
2. Ice and heat therapy;
3. Stretch and spray;
4. Massage therapy;
5. Trigger point injections; or
6. Surgery in case of serious symptoms.
