A diagnosis of chronic myofascial pain means that trigger points are the primary source of pain symptoms. Unfortunately, myofascial pain can mimic a variety of other conditions. Before we jump into diagnosis, let’s look at the signs and symptoms of myofascial pain:
The sign of a myofascial trigger point is a focused point of tenderness or pain felt when pressure is applied. Pressure to a trigger point made with a finger may also cause a sensation of shooting pain along nearby muscles, such as from the back to the neck or shoulders. The trigger point feels like a hard knot of tissue to the touch.
When a person is experiencing myofascial pain, it is often described as:
However it may not be apparent to the untrained observer because trigger points can be present deep within a muscle. A physical examination by a doctor is often required to uncover all present myofascial trigger points.
A diagnosis of chronic myofascial pain means that myofascial trigger points are the primary source of pain symptoms. Unfortunately, myofascial pain can also mimic a variety of other conditions. For example, myofascial pain symptoms may be incorrectly attributed to:
Similarly, a medical provider may mistakenly overlook a myofascial pain diagnosis if a patient is also suffering from another pain-causing condition such as the ones listed above.
For these reasons and the fact that myofascial pain is a poorly understood disorder, chronic myofascial pain disorder can be a difficult condition to diagnose.
Contact Craniofacial Pain & Dental Sleep Center of Georgia for more information on myofascial pain and how you can find relief from your pain.