Myofascial Pain

Blue Ridge Pain Management Associates

Pain Management Specialists located in Salem, VA & Christiansburg, VA

When muscle knots and painful spasms interfere with your ability to stay active, you may have a common condition known as myofascial pain syndrome. To prevent persistent or recurrent muscle pain, the experienced physicians at Blue Ridge Pain Management Associates offer several treatment options. At all of their Virginia locations, including Salem, Christiansburg, and Roanoke, the skilled medical team provides trigger point injection therapy and other treatments to quickly alleviate muscle knots and persistent pain. Find out more about treating myofascial pain syndrome by calling the office nearest you, or you can use the online booking feature to schedule a consultation.

Myofascial Pain Q & A

What is myofascial pain syndrome?

Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic pain disorder that affects the musculoskeletal system and causes sensitive points in your muscles, known as trigger points.

As a result of this condition, you can experience prolonged muscle contractions and chronic pain that can affect unrelated areas of your body.

Myofascial pain syndrome is often the result of overuse injuries in your muscles. Repetitive movements can cause muscle fibers to become very tight and difficult to relax, forming a trigger point. You may also develop chronic muscle pain when blood circulation to the area is poor.

What are the symptoms of myofascial pain syndrome?

A hallmark of myofascial pain syndrome is the trigger points that develop in the affected muscle.

Trigger points are tender and painful to the touch and can result in persistent pain around the muscle that affects your mobility and functionality. You may also feel a hard knot within the muscle.

Pain relating to myofascial pain syndrome typically worsens with movement, and you may find it difficult to sleep on the affected muscle because of the pain.

How is myofascial pain syndrome diagnosed?

When muscle pain becomes chronic, the medical team at Blue Ridge Pain Management Associates can evaluate the health of your muscles and perform a physical exam to identify trigger points.

In some cases, you may need diagnostic testing, such as blood work or an ultrasound, to rule out other conditions that may cause chronic muscle pain.

What treatments are available for myofascial pain syndrome?

A standard treatment for myofascial syndrome pain is a trigger point injection. This procedure involves the injection of a needle into the affected muscle. The needle may be dry or contain a small amount of a local anesthetic to quickly relax the muscles and alleviate pain. Injections can provide muscle relaxation and pain relief for several weeks or months.

Additionally, the Blue Ridge Pain Management Associates medical team can create a treatment plan to address persistent myofascial pain. Part of the plan includes things you can do to prevent tight muscles that develop into trigger points, such as:

Physical therapy
Massage therapy
Stress-reduction exercises

It’s also important that you get daily physical activity to keep blood flowing to the muscles and prevent muscle spasms and knots.

If home care and over-the-counter pain relievers aren’t enough to alleviate the pain of myofascial pain syndrome, schedule a consultation with the team at Blue Ridge Pain Management Associates today, online or by phone.

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