Myofascial Pain

Pacific Pain Physicians

Interventional Pain Management Specialists located in Santa Barbara, CA & San Luis Obispo, CA

As many as 20% of adults in the United States suffer from chronic pain. Myofascial pain is a chronic pain condition that leads to the development of tight muscle fibers, referred to as trigger points, that cause radiating pain in seemingly unrelated body parts. Myofascial pain can affect your quality of life, but the team at Pacific Pain Physicians in Santa Barbara, California, specializes in the chronic pain disorder and develops a treatment plan that can help get you back to doing what makes you happy. Call the office today or book an appointment online.

Myofascial Pain Q & A

What is myofascial pain?

It’s normal to experience muscle tension every now and again, whether from overuse or stress. But myofascial pain is a chronic condition in which you experience ongoing muscle pain that leads to the development of tender knots that cause radiating pain to other areas of your body.

Constant contraction of the muscle, which may occur from repetitive use or stress, usually leads to myofascial pain. You can also develop myofascial pain after an acute injury.

What are the symptoms of myofascial pain?

If you have myofascial pain, you may experience a persistent deep, aching sensation in your muscle that may worsen over time. Myofascial pain most often develops in the back, neck, chest, or shoulders.

You may also develop hard or swollen muscle knots that, when pressed, cause pain to radiate to what seems like unrelated parts of the body. The type of pain can vary and may be aching, stinging, burning, or stabbing. The discomfort caused by your myofascial pain can be so severe that it affects your sleep.

How is myofascial pain diagnosed?

The team at Pacific Pain Physicians can determine if you have myofascial pain after a comprehensive evaluation. In addition to examining your muscles, your specialist may also run tests to rule out other causes of your pain, such as blood work, X-rays, or nerve studies.

How is myofascial pain treated?

The team at Pacific Pain Physicians creates individualized treatment plans to help you get your myofascial pain under control. The pain specialists offer many different treatment options and work one-on-one with you to create an effective plan.

Treatment options include:

Acupuncture or chiropractic care
Massage or physical therapy
Neuropathic medications
Pain psychology and coaching
Relaxation techniques
Lifestyle management

The specialists at Pacific Pain Physicians also offer trigger point injections to help you get relief from your pain. These injections may contain a numbing agent or a steroid, which can help break up the knot and reduce the pain.

Your pain specialist can help you get relief from your myofascial pain, but typically, the longer you’ve been suffering from your pain, the longer it takes for your pain to improve.

For expert pain management, call Pacific Pain Physicians today or schedule an appointment online.

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