Even though it shouldn't be a surprise when you see someone post what your going through. I pull my shoulders up all the time due to pain and I always lean my head to the right. I had someone take my elbows and touch them together behind my back once and you could hear the muscles pop and shred as they got closer together but it actually helped my migraine out for that day!! I have not done Myofacial Release. What all is invovled

It is massage that pulls the fascia apart. Fascia being the overlying connective tissue that envelopes the muscles. Gentle massage, not deep tissue massage that you'd see for knots in the back and stuff.

She says I'll need a lot of work because of the duration of the problem. Which could be just someone trying to line their pockets (I'm a skeptic, can you tell?) but makes sense too...because this is ten years of muscles pulling the wrong way.

A lot of the people who do it are Osteopaths, so if you can't find a physical therapist who does it - you might try and find an osteopath who can.

I JUST REMEMBER MY BIO COURSES AND DISSECTING FASCIA FROM MUSCLE. I CAN'T SEE HOW TRY TO PULL THESE APART WON'T INVENT NEW, MORE INTENSE PAIN!! I'M ANXIOUS TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THIS..I WILL FOLLOW YOUR POST!!

The fascia is supposed to be loose and flowing. The analogy I keep reading is like a sweater pattern, an all over knit. But if you take some of these threads and twist them together and turn them, it disrupts the whole pattern, the whole system.

The goal of myofascial release is a gentle massage that returns the pattern to its original state. So, we're not pulling the fascia from the muscle. We're pulling and stretching the fascia gently so that it resumes its loose weave, rather than imposing any restrictions on blood vessels or nerves.

Ok now that I read your post. I had a message therapist who actually does the deep tissue for migraines then she works with the neck and face to calm all of the muscles down. It does help for a mile migraine but if it is horrid thenit is a no go for to deep or the pain is more lightning rushing through my body!! DH does rub my shoulders when I ask once in while and it helps a little bit. I have had the shots under my skull then all the way down to my shoulders and it numbs the muscles to make them relax and that does helps lot!!

I've done the nerve block, too. I get another one on Friday. (YAY!)

I thought the Myofascial Release was really, really helping today - and possibly it was and the weather was just interfering. But she also hooked me up to a giant oversized TENS Unit. TENS on Crack. And that kept the pain gateway all confused, so I think that's more where my relief came from this time.

i read all you all writing about massage and its funny cause i am after 20 yrs of migranes am just deciding to do a massage thanks for the miofacial word i will pass it on . i too draw up my shpulders do ya think we are all type Apersonalities massage is a great thing for us. thanks

The only thing that I had similar between me and type A was self-esteem issues. I wasn't impatient or a workaholic or hostile.

The drawing up the shoulders towards the ears has always been a pure pain response for me, never related to stress. It has just been that I've been in pain so often that everything has tended to stray that way.

Have you tried trigger point therapy, with the theracane, or getting trigger point injections. They can do allot for the facia and break down the muscle spasms which come from your' drawing shoulders up, head forward, etc. You can get the theracane, book from the internet. Not expensive and well worth every dollar spent to help yourself. Massage helps too, when done properlay and stretching the facia. Just plain stretching is wonderful and relaxing, with the meds you may have to get, like muscle relaxants and perhaps an antiinflammatory. Things to look into. I may be saying what others are writing, but I have a headache and can't read for long. Sorry...

The only injections I've had so far have been for my head, trying to close up the overactive pain-cycle in the occipital nerve. (Cause one over-stimulated nerve is cramping the style of all the others)

The first PT I went to said I should look into a theracane, but the prices in the catalog were pretty outrageous for us. Seeing as I do have the internet, though, and I don't know why I didn't think of this before - I can probably find an outlet with a lower price.

And I've been reading about people pairing Baclofen (NSAID) with Flexeril in newer headache studies. I'm probably going to ask my doctor about that, but we might switch to Soma.

Thank you for the info! :)

My theracane was 35.oo and no shipping. I never appreciate labels, such as Type A. Pain attacks all types of people, in all walks of life. I also was never a workaholic, nor expected perfectionism. I do know the pain I have daily cause lower self esteem. Wanting to be understood and not to be the nurturer all the time. That can be so one sided and has been for me all of my life. I am no, as so many of us, looking for uplifting thoughts given in our time of need. The compassion is not sometimes given to the ill person. I hope that the others will get a growth and become a nuturer. I may have to hold my breath till I am blue, so I will let go, cause you can't demand it, huh? I hope the theracane works well for your' muscle spasms and the books to go with are also on the internet. Book title:The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook, Your self Treatment Guide for pain relief, by Clair Davies,NCTMBK with Amber Davies the other book is Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction, The Trigger Point Manual by, David G. Simons, MD, coauthor of Travell & Simmons. They will all come up with the Advocate book as well. All great resources for us who suffer.