Myofascial pain, new understanding from fascia anatomy

<p>Hal S Blatman</p>

Myofascial pain, new understanding from fascia anatomy

Hal S Blatman

Blatman Health and Wellness Center, USA

: Analg Resusc: Curr Res

Abstract

Myofascial pain and myofascial pain syndrome are often discussed with regard to chronic pain. Indeed they are also commonly recognized and treated with trigger point injections, prolotherapy, and myofascial release techniques. Treatment can be done by experts in physical therapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, rolfing, prolotherapy, trigger point injections, chiropractic, and more. Myofascial pain patterns from trigger points in muscle and fascia are well documented in medical texts (Travell/Simons). It is often thought that myofascial pain has to be due to an underlying problem that may be undiagnosed or not understood. With the advent of “fascia sparing dissection” techniques, the anatomy of fascia in the body has helped to provide for a new understanding of myofascial pain and its underlying injuries and pathology. Indeed the predominant injury most of the time is to muscle and fascia rather than disc and joint. The interaction of muscle, fascia, and free small fiber nerve endings notifies the brain of these injuries as myofascial pain. Video recording of fascia-sparing cadaver dissection illustrates the body-wide continuity of fascia, and also helps to elucidate the referral patterns and enigmatic nature of myofascial pain. This new understanding of anatomy helps us to realize how radiating pain and other sensations can be caused by injury to fascia and muscle. It also provides clues as to how to help the body heal from such injuries in order to relieve chronic pain.