Myofascial Pain Syndrome Support Group
Myofascial Pain Syndrome (or MPS) is a term used to describe one of the conditions characterized by chronic pain. It is associated with and caused by "trigger points" (TrPs), sensitive and painful areas between the muscle and fascia. The symptoms can range from referred pain through myofascial trigger points to specific pains in other areas of the body. It may be related...
I was diagnosed Monday with Myofascial Pain Syndrome, the pain is in my back, along my spine. I was in a car accident 10/2009, which caused slight vertebrae slippage & dextroscoliosis. I still have pain throughout my spine all day every day, but gets worse when I do more physical activity. It gets to the point where it hurts to even breathe... My PCP said I have Fibromyalgia, and my GI Dr suspects the same especially since I have IBS and my whole body just aching/hurting. It's to the point now where my husband can't even poke me or tickle me, I flinch when I see his hand move.. he thinks I don't like him touching me anymore, which isn't the case!! The PM Dr didn't say anything about the Fibro on our 1st appt, just the MPS. I am on the lidoderm patches & I start trigger point injections Monday April 1st. Any suggestions? Input on the injections?? Thanks!!
I have slight scoliosis too. (Does dextroscoliosis mean your spine is twisted to the right?) Everyday I take 2 tennis balls in a sack and roll them up and down each side of my spine. The pain I used to feel when I did this has diminished quite a bit. Maybe you should not do this because of you disk issues. There are quite a few muscles that run vertically up and down the spine. Probably some of your pain is muscular. But, again, it might not be good to self treat. You could ask your doctors about how to relax the muscles along your spine.
Oh, and do you have what we call around here The Book?
http://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Point-Therapy-Workbook-Self-Treatment/dp/1572243759/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1301505733&sr=1-1
Some people have good luck with the trigger point injections, but do be careful about overtaxing the muscles that have been injected, because the TrPs (trigger points) can return. That is the reason that you should buy "The Book" that Chimerical suggested. Most people need to work on their own trigger points too. Since you have both fibro and cmp, I also recommend that you buy Devin Starlanyl's, book Fibromyalgia & Chronic Myofascial Pain A Survival Manual (second edition) She is a medical doctor who has both conditions.
In additon, I would suggest going back and reading what has been written in response to other new people in the group. You can pick up a lot of information reading the previous threads. There are others currently having trigger point injections and dry needling to release their TrPs. There isn't one approach that works, so we have found that it is trial and error to find the modalities that help you. We are always here to support you. Kat
Welcome to the group! I'm sorry we have to meet this way and that you're in pain but this is a resourceful and supportive place.
I have MPS in the neck/shoulder area and my PCP thinks I have fibro. I'm waiting to see a specialist to confirm that dx. MPS and fibro are often comorbid conditions.
I use lidoderm patches and find them helpful. I've also had TrP injections a few times. Ask your doctor what he recommends that you do after the injections. I was told to apply moist heat, to gently stretch and move, and to avoid ice.
Good luck with the injections!
Recently they found a herniated disc in my back at L5/S1 and I've received cortisone injections for that pain. I am somehow able to go swimming and it helps my hips. I have pain in my neck, along the spine, and in my hips. I live on my heatpad and cannot sit up for long periods.
I am benefiting from others responses to you. Thanks!
http://www.caringmedical.com and http://www.getprolo.com
Glad to have you in the group. Kat
I have recently joined this group and am so happy I did. It is comforting to know that there are other people out there who are going through similar problems and really understand.
Like others have suggested, I would recommend going through past posts and just reading.. I have learned a lot from doing this.
I hit rock bottom with my myofascial pain in early January of this year. It has completely took over my entire body and I felt like I was trapped in a tight/painful shell. It has spread everywhere and I wasn't able to work or even function anymore. After much research on treatment options, I opted for dry needling. I am very fortunate where I have someone to take care of me and drive me to all my appointments while going through this. I have literally dedicated my life and all my time to getting better these past few months, and haven't felt better than I do now in a really long time. For the first 2 months, I got dry needling 3 times a week and just dropped down to twice a week. From the research I have seen, injections have similar outcomes to dry needling so I really hope this this works well for your Pink. My advice would be to get the injections as much as possible. I think that part of my success is due to the fact that I kept at it. There were many days I woke up and was extremely sore from the needling but kept thinking no pain no gain, and kept at it. It you are sore after the injections, I would recommend taking a hot bath.
Jennafur, I also have L5/S1 issues. I has a microdiscectomy in January 2010 which partially fixed the herniation. A couple months ago, I was convinced that the back/leg pain I was having was from my disc issues. I was wrong. Since I have treated the trigger points, my leg pain has completely gone away and the lower back pain is almost gone as well. I have trigger points in my stomach that we are working on now which refer pain to the lower back. It is very relieving to know that my L5/S1 issues may not be causing much, if any, pain. I know what you mean about living on your heatpad.. when I was at my worst, I literally had burns on my back. I would wear a ThermaCare heating pad during the day, come right home and lay on the couch all night with a heating pad.
Although I still have a ways to go before I am 100%, I want you to know that there is hope!!! Before I started treatment and started to get better, I was depressed and thought that I would maybe never feel better and I would be in that kind of pain my whole life. I was way off. One thing is for sure, and I am sure you all feel the same way, is that when I get to the point where I wake up in the morning and can live a normal life without pain, i will never take a single moment of that for granted. Again, welcome and good luck!
I'll keep reading posts, and I have a new PM appt Monday for the injections so I'll let y'all know how it goes!