Myofascial pain syndrome

When the muscles of the back become injured from prolonged irritation, they can develop a reactive inflammation called myofascitis. Myofascial pain syndrome refers to a condition where the myofascitis occurs on a constant basis and becomes chronic over a long period of time.

Muscles of the back may be injured initially through traumatic tearing of the fibers, repetitive strain, and through pre-existing conditions which cause the muscles to be weakened and inflamed without provocation. Fibromyalgia is one such condition in which multiple muscles of the body are in a constant irritated state, and demonstrate myofascial pain syndrome. While traumatic injuries are easily identified, repetitive strains can be more difficult to ascertain. These strains can begin with a repetitive movement where the muscles are being irritated over a long period of time until they become vulnerable to tearing from a simple change in the position of the back. For example, a person who has improper posture at a computer on a regular basis, or a golfer who plays frequently with bad form may have their muscles tighten over time and form micro-tearing and inflammation as a result. Approximately 5 days after an injury, scar tissue will then form to act like glue to bond the tissue back together. Scar tissue will continue to form past six weeks in some cases and as long as a year in severe back strains. In cases where the repetitive irritation is not halted, or if the area does not heal properly and the scar tissue does not break down, myofascial irritation will persist.

The initial approach to treating myofascial pain syndrome is to support and protect the muscles, help them to loosen up and lessen the pain and minimize any inflammation. Due to the stiffness which accompanies scar tissue, it will be important to perform procedures which help break down the scaring in the muscle, so as to let the muscle regain its normal flexibility and lessen the chance of further injury.

While exercise is appropriate for breaking down scar tissue once the area has healed, it may further irritate the area during the initial stages of a re-irritated myofascial pain syndrome. Therefore, other methods such as Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment or OMT may be safely used to accomplish this early on in the injury. Each Myofascial Pain Syndrome condition is different, always consult your osteopathic doctor to determine what treatment is right for your particular situation.