Hi! I have both Myofasical pain, and FMS. The Myofascial pain is in my shoulder, neck, and on really bad days it does migrate into my face. To me, it has the sensation of a cramp, in that it's really tense, but if feels like a really bad flu ache. I mean, I'm talking BAD. But that's just me. I've learned from this board that people have all sorts of sensations of pain with this. I hope I was able to help, and I hope you feel better soon. I used to have chronic ear infections, so I know that awful stabbing pain in the ears, and I feel for you! *HUGS*

With Myofascial Pain Syndrome the muscles are not getting proper blood flow. Therefore they arent getting enough oxygen, and toxins that move through our blood are unable to leave an area... causing a knot or hard muscle that is painful. When pressure is applied to this specific spot (called a Triiger Point) it can be painful and cause pain in another part of your body. Or it can actually not hurt where you are pushing but cause pain in another place in your body. The muscle naturally tightens trying to protect itself, causing restricted movement, which then causes surrounding muscles to suffer, and sometimes you can spread this effect through your body. Massage therapy usually helps release the toxins from these Trigger Points, restoring movement without pain. What alot of people dont realize is that alot of everyday problems come from these Trigger Points. Including sinus and vision problems even TMJ. These tight muscles can also slowly pull our bones out of place causing slumped shoulders and limping.

I think your problem could very well be Myofascial Pain and if its ear or sinus problems these Trigger Points are most likely along your neck. And that means you can rub them yourself. You can also massage your back, by placing a tennis ball under your back and laying on the floor, or in a bed if you are particularly sensitive, and moving it around to try to find any Trigger Points.
If you do feel youve found a Trigger Point, hold slight pressure in that spot for around 30 seconds then continue to massage that area, work best if you massage in a direction towards your heart... it will hurt, and you may become tired or dizzy afterward, but that would be a good sign that toxins were released. And you may be a little sick until your liver can take care of those toxins.

If you have Fibromyalgia make sure you are not pressing a Tender Point. Very different from a Trigger Point a Tender Point cannot be released.

Hi:

I used to have chronic pain in my teeth, jaws and neck that turned out to be CMP. Once I learned trigger point massage, I've been able to control it.

Poke around your shoulders, inside the collar bone, all over your neck, the back of your head and between your shoulder blades and see if you have any tender places. If so, massage them.

I use The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Clair Davies as a guide and find it invaluable.

Might also google myofascial pain and see if you can find some diagrams of the trigger points in the neck and head.

Hope that helps.

MYOFACIAL, this will sound gross but is the best explaination, you know the skin on chicken how it moves smoothly? Well our skin is supposed to also move smoothly like that but with MYOFACIAL, the stuff under our skin gets stiff/hard and sticks together forming knots. So that is why it hurts so much to be touched. I have MYOFACIAL neck/back/arms/some in legs. Mostly in back/shoulders. OUCH! I have hubby find the knots and massage them out. Yes, they do come back.

ALSO, I have bought a DEEP TISSUE MASSAGER FROM HOMEDICS that I describe on my bio. IT IS A GOD-SEND FOR MYOFACIAL knots and back pain.

Hope this info helps. ALSO doing tons better since I began MIRAPEX.

In researching myofascial pain and trigger points, I came across the website for the workbook I use. It's triggerpointbook.com.

Check out the info on your neck, jaw and teeth. Hopefully you can find the TPs that are causing your problem.

take care.
elavaney

bump for newbies

It sounds like TMJ to me....those are alot of my tmj symptoms