MYOFASCIAL PAIN SYNDROME

Course overview

MYOFASCIAL PAIN SYNDROME (MPS) IS COMMON AMONG PATIENTS WITH MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN PROBLEMS. MPS IS A PAIN CONDITION ORIGINATING FROM MUSCLE AND SURROUNDING FASCIA. PATIENTS USUALLY PRESENT WITH LOCALIZED PAIN IN A RESTRICTED AREA OR REFERRED PAIN OF VARIOUS PATTERNS. MOREOVER, THE PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS MAY REVEAL TRIGGER POINTS (TRPS) ON THE INVOLVED MUSCLES. MPS CAN BE DIVIDED INTO THE ACUTE AND CHRONIC FORMS. ACUTE MPS FREQUENTLY RESOLVES SPONTANEOUSLY OR AFTER SIMPLE TREATMENTS. HOWEVER, CHRONIC MPS ARE USUALLY WORSE IN PROGNOSIS, AND THE SYMPTOMS CAN LAST FOR 6 MONTHS OR LONGER. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND PRESENTATION OF MYOFASCIAL PAIN SYNDROME AND STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.