Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic pain disorder characterized by tender areas in your muscles known as trigger points that cause muscle pain. The syndrome affects the fascia which is the connective tissue that covers your muscles.
The muscle pain associated with myofascial pain syndrome goes beyond typical muscle tension pain that many people experience; with myofascial pain syndrome, the muscle pain persists much longer or worsens beyond normal muscle pain.
Although the cause of myofascial pain syndrome is not completely understood, this condition often affects people after a muscle has been overused or contracted repetitively such as repetitive motions used at work or for hobbies. It may also be caused by stress-related muscle tension and may be linked to anxiety and depression. Stress, anxiety and depression can cause you to keep your muscles clenched all day without giving them a chance to relax. Myofascial pain syndrome may also result from an injury. The pain often worsens with activity or stress.
Myofascial pain syndrome includes symptoms beyond muscle pain and trigger points. Other symptoms include muscle tenderness, muscle spasms, localized pain, poor sleep, muscle fatigue and stiffness.
There are treatment options for myofascial pain syndrome including physical therapy, trigger point injections, massage therapy and medication. If you are experiencing the symptoms described in detail below, especially persistent muscle pain that won’t go away, seek professional medical help to alleviate your pain.
1. Muscle Pain
Nearly everyone has experienced sore or aching muscles. The muscle pain associated with myofascial pain syndrome, however, is typically more painful and lasts longer than normal muscle aches.
Myofascial pain syndrome can cause muscle pain in areas of your body that appear to be unrelated from the muscle you overworked. This is known as referred pain. The referred pain caused by the syndrome is attributed to the area of the muscle which has the injury or strain creating a trigger point that, in turn, causes pain in other areas.
Consult your physician if you are experiencing persistent muscle pain that lasts longer than three days and is accompanied by the symptoms described below.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]2. Tenderness
When you have muscle tenderness, you experience discomfort when pressure is applied to a muscle or group of muscles. The discomfort can range from mild soreness to intense pain. Muscle tenderness can often be pinpointed to a specific cause such as overuse during exercise or extended muscle tension.
Most people have experienced muscle tenderness caused by tension or overexertion but it typically goes away after a few days. With myofascial pain syndrome, muscle tenderness lingers and often results from pressure on trigger points (discussed in detail later).
To ease muscle tenderness, you can gently stretch your muscles, apply ice to the affected area and avoid high-impact activities. Consult your doctor if it lingers longer than a few days, especially when experienced with other myofascial pain syndrome symptoms.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]3. Spasms
Muscle spasms, or muscle cramps, occur when your muscle involuntary and forcefully contracts and is unable to relax for a period of time. Spasms are common and can affect any muscle or group of muscles in your body.
Muscle spasms range greatly in intensity. They can arise as mild twitches that you barely notice but they can also cause severe pain.
A spastic muscle may twitch visibly, and often feels harder than normal when you touch it. The spastic muscle may also appear visibly distorted. Muscle spasms can last mere seconds or stretch beyond 15 minutes. They may also occur multiple times before the spastic muscle completely relaxes.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]4. Localized pain
Localized pain refers to pain that affects a specific part of your body such as a specific group of muscles. Muscle pain in your upper arm, and your upper arm only, is an example of localized pain. Localized pain in your upper arm means that your shoulder, elbow and forearm feel normal and are not in pain.
Generally, muscle pain most people experience that is caused by overuse or injury is localized to the injured or overexerted muscle or muscle group. The pain does not typically spread beyond the affected area.
Sufferers of myofascial pain syndrome commonly experience localized pain as well. However, you may also experience referred pain, meaning that overexertion of one muscle may result in a trigger point that can cause pain to spread to other, seemingly unrelated muscles.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]5. Poor Sleep
Any kind of pain, either localized or referred, can make it difficult for you to sleep. In turn, poor sleep exacerbates the pain resulting in a miserable cycle that is hard to break.
Since the muscle pain associated with myofascial pain syndrome persists over several days and can be intense, it can greatly affect your sleep cycle resulting in ever-increasing muscle pain. The pain associated with the condition can make it hard to find a comfortable sleeping position. Additionally, if you move while sleeping it is possible that you will hit a trigger point and wake yourself up with the pain. Because of this, doctors treating myofascial pain syndrome may subscribe sleep aids.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]6. Muscle Fatigue
Commonly referred to as muscle weakness or tiredness, muscle fatigue decreases the ability of muscles to perform over time and makes your muscles feel weak, tired or painful.
Muscle fatigue can be caused by strenuous exercise that is not preceded by thorough stretching. Strenuous exercise often causes other myofascial pain syndrome symptoms including muscle stiffness, and the two symptoms are often experienced together.
The chronic pain associated with the syndrome can cause you to not use your muscles as much as normal and inactivity can result in muscle fatigue. The less you move your muscles the more likely your muscles are to become truly weak.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]7. Stiffness
Muscle stiffness commonly accompanies muscle fatigue. Muscle stiffness means your muscles feel tight and you will find it more difficult to move than usual, especially after resting. When your muscles are stiff you may experience pain, cramping or general discomfort when trying to move them.
You can get stiff muscles after exercise, physical labor or extended periods of inactivity. Muscle stiffness tends to go away on its own but you can try to alleviate it through gentle stretches.
Stiff muscles are common but can be a sign of something more serious such as myofascial pain syndrome. If you experience muscle stiffness that does not go away after a few days or you experience it with other symptoms, contact your physician.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]8. Pain to Trigger Points
Trigger points are sensitive areas of tight muscle fibers that form in your muscles after overexertion or injury and are often referred to as muscle knots. Trigger points result from repetitive overuse, overexertion, poor posture, muscle clenching, injury and even inactivity.
These sensitive areas are painful when pressed on and cause a shortening of your muscle fibers. Although you may experience localized pain, trigger points tend to cause referred pain where a trigger point in one muscle causes pain in another area.
Multiple trigger points are often the tell-tale sign of myofascial pain syndrome and are the primary source of the rest of the symptoms associated with the condition. Consult your physician if you have numerous trigger points and inform him or her of your other symptoms.
