Ultrasound Imaging of Embedded Shrapnel Facilitates Diagnosis and Management of Myofascial Pain Syndrome

Trigger points can result from a variety of inciting events including muscle overuse, trauma, mechanical overload, and psychological stress. When the myofascial trigger points occur in cervical musculature, they have been known to cause headaches. Ultrasound imaging is being increasingly used for the diagnosis and interventional management of various painful conditions. A veteran was referred to the pain clinic for management of his severe headache following a gunshot wound to the neck with shrapnel embedded in the neck muscles a few years prior to presentation. He had no other comorbid conditions. Physical examination revealed a taut band in the neck. An ultrasound imaging of the neck over the taut band revealed the deformed shrapnel located within the levator scapulae muscle along with an associated trigger point in the same muscle. Ultrasound guided trigger point injection, followed by physical therapy resolved his symptoms. This is a unique report of embedded shrapnel and coexisting myofascial pain syndrome revealed by ultrasound imaging. The association between shrapnel and myofascial pain syndrome requires further investigation.     

Myofascial Pain Syndrome: An Overview

Over the last few decades, advances have been made in the understanding of myofascial pain syndromes (MPSs). In spite of its high prevalence in the society, it is not a commonly established diagnosis. MPS is said to be the great imitator. This article puts some light on the various clinical presentations of the syndrome, on the various tools to reach to a diagnosis for commencing the treatment and on the treatment modalities that have been used so far.     

Myofascial Pain Syndrome Affecting the Quadratus Femoris

The quadratus femoris is an external rotator of the hip. Quadratus femoris injury can accompany damage to the surrounding muscles. Guided by the clinical symptoms, the injection technique described here can facilitate accurate diagnosis in selected cases.     

The Short-Term Effects of Acupuncture on Myofascial Pain Patients After Clenching

Aim: Short‐term pain reduction from acupuncture in chronic myofascial pain subjects was evaluated using an 11‐point (0 to 10) numeric rating scale, visual analog scale (VAS), and pain rating of mechanical pressure on the masseter muscle. Methods: A single‐blind, randomized, controlled, clinical trial with an independent observer was performed. Fifteen chronic myofascial pain subjects over the age of 18 were randomly assigned into groups: nine subjects received real acupuncture; six subjects received sham acupuncture. Each subject clenched his/her teeth for 2 minutes. Acupuncture or sham acupuncture was administered at the Hegu Large Intestine 4 acupoint. Sham acupuncture was conducted by lightly pricking the skin with a shortened, blunted acupuncture needle through a foam pad, without penetrating the skin. The foam pad visually conceals the needle's point of the entry, so that the subject cannot discern which technique is being used. The subjects rated their general pain on a numeric rating scale. A mechanical pain stimulus was applied with an algometer and the subject rated his/her pain on a VAS. Statistical analysis was performed using the repeated measures anova , paired t‐tests, and Fisher's exact test as appropriate. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in pain tolerance with acupuncture (P = 0.027). There was statistically significant reduction in face pain (P = 0.003), neck pain (P = 0.011), and headache (P = 0.015) with perception of real acupuncture. Conclusion: Pain tolerance in the masticatory muscles increased significantly more with acupuncture than sham acupuncture.     

Myofascial trigger points in early life

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether latent myofascial trigger points (MTPs) can be identified in healthy infants and in healthy adult subjects. DESIGN: Blind comparison. SETTING: Ambulatory. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 60 healthy adults and 60 infants (age range, 0-12mo). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: An algometer was used to measure the pressure pain threshold (PPT) on 3 different sites, including a midpoint (assumed to be the MTP site) in the brachioradialis muscle. RESULTS: The mean PPT values at the MTP site were significantly lower than the other sites in the adult muscles. However, no significant differences in PPT values among these 3 sites were found in the infants. Taut bands were found in all the adult muscles but none in the infants. CONCLUSIONS: In the adult subjects, the midpoint of brachioradialis muscle was significantly more irritable than other sites and the midpoint was probably a latent MTP. However, in the infants younger than 1 year old, such a phenomenon could not be observed in this study. It is very likely that the latent MTPs might not exist in early life, but develop in later life.     

Topical Lidocaine Patch Therapy for Myofascial Pain

An open label study of topical lidocaine 5% patches was conducted for myofascial pain management based on the hypothesis that electrical dysfunction is a component of myofascial pain and therefore sodium channel blockade may be useful in managing myofascial pain. The efficacy of topical lidocaine patch therapy for myofascial pain impact of the therapy on associated quality of life were investigated in the one-month trial. Principal outcome measures were Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form for pain intensity and quality of life score changes. Twenty-seven patients with moderate-severe myofascial pain were enrolled. Eighteen had low back pain. Two patients reported complete pain relief and 3 reported a lot of relief. Mean improvements for average pain intensity (7, 14, and 28 days), general activity (7 and 28 days), mood and sleep (7, 14, and 28 days), walking (14 and 28 days), ability to work, relationships, and enjoyment of life (28 days) were significant (P < 0.05). These results suggest lidocaine patches may be useful in the management of myofascial pain.     

Comparison of Acupuncture to Injection for Myofascial Trigger Point Pain

Objectives: Many treatments have been proposed for myofascial pain syndrome. The objective of this study was to compare the analgesic effect of acupuncture to trigger point injection combined with cyclobenzaprine chlorhydrate and sodium dipyrone. Methods: A randomized study was performed in 30 patients divided into 2 groups: G1 received trigger point injection with 0.25% bupivacaine twice weekly, and both cyclobenzaprine chlorhydrate 10 mg/day and sodium dipyrone 500 mg every 8 hours; G2 received classical and trigger point acupuncture twice weekly. All patients were instructed in physical exercise. The following parameters were evaluated: pain intensity rated on a numerical scale, number of trigger points, and quality of life before and 4 weeks after treatment. Results: The pain scores and the number of trigger points reduced significantly in both groups, with no significant difference between groups. Significant improvement in the quality of life scores was observed for some of the functional domains in the 2 groups, whereas there was no improvement of the general health status domain in either group or of the emotional domain in G1. Conclusion: Acupuncture, when compared with trigger point injection, combined with cyclobenzaprine chlorhydrate and sodium dipyrone provided similar pain relief and improvement in quality of life measures at 4 weeks. ?     

肌筋膜疼痛综合征的治疗进展

肌筋膜疼痛综合征的干预和康复手段在过去十余年中有着重大的发展和变化。本文综述最新的肌筋膜疼痛综合征的治疗方法及相关研究证据。     

Pathophysiology of Trigger Points in Myofascial Pain Syndrome

Questions from patients about pain conditions and analgesic pharmacotherapy and responses from authors are presented to help educate patients and make them more effective self-advocates. Trigger point pathophysiology in myofascial pain syndrome, which involves muscle stiffness, tenderness, and pain that radiates to other areas of the body, is considered. The causes of trigger points and several theories about how they develop are reviewed, and treatment approaches, including stretching, physical therapy, dry needling, and injections, are offered.     

Nerve Stimulator-Guided Repetitive Paravertebral Block for Thoracic Myofascial Pain Syndrome

▪ Abstract:   Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) may persist for many years and is often refractory to traditional therapeutic approaches including pharmacotherapy, focal tenderness infiltration by local anesthetic and corticosteroids, physical therapy and behavioral modification. This report describes three cases of MPS following coronary artery bypass graft, inadequate positioning during abdominal hysterectomy, and excessive physical effort refractory to conventional therapeutic approaches. Three patients were successfully treated with repeated nerve stimulator-guided paravertebral block using a mixture of bupivacaine and clonidine.
Physical examinations including a complete neurological assessments were unremarkable. Relevant diagnostic imaging (X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography) and laboratory evaluations also failed to demonstrate any significant structural disorders or systemic diseases that might have been responsible for their pain. Nerve stimulator-guided paravertebral block was performed at the dermatomes corresponding to the thoracic myofascial pain region. Each point was injected with 4 mL of the local anesthetic solution. If the pain returned, a second paravertebral block was performed. The three patients were pain-free over a follow-up period up to 2 years. Our report suggests that nerve stimulator-guided paravertebral blockade could be a useful treatment for MPS refractory to traditional therapeutic approaches. ▪     

激痛点缺血性压迫治疗颈肩肌筋膜疼痛综合征疗效观察

目的:观察激痛点缺血性压迫法治疗颈肩肌筋膜疼痛综合征的疗效。方法:选择颈肩肌筋疼痛膜综合征患者20例,按照随机数字表法分为对照组和治疗组,每组10例。对照组仅接受健康宣教;治疗组在对照组基础上实施激痛点缺血性压迫疗法。首先通过Booster Pro3筋膜枪渐次提高振动频率的方法松解斜方肌上束,提高痛阈,达到放松并激活上斜方肌的目的,随后使用缺血性压迫激痛点的方法进行干预,治疗1次/d,连续治疗2周。分别在治疗前、后,采用肌力与脊柱活动度测量仪测量颈部关节活动度与肌力,采用疼痛视觉模拟评分法(VAS)评价颈肩部的疼痛程度,采用颈椎功能障碍指数(NDI)评价颈部功能障碍水平。结果:与治疗前比较,治疗第1次结束即刻治疗组左右侧肌力明显增加,治疗后2周治疗组颈部关节活动度(前屈方向)、左右侧肌力明显增加,左屈、右屈、右旋方向上的VAS评分与NDI评分明显降低,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);与对照组比较,治疗后2周治疗组颈部关节活动度(前屈方向)、左右侧肌力更高,左屈、右屈、右旋方向上的VAS评分与NDI评分更低,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:激痛点缺血性压迫疗法治疗颈肩肌筋膜疼痛综合征,可以有效提高MPS患者颈部关节活动度、左右侧肌力,缓解颈部肌肉僵硬不适和疼痛,改善颈椎功能障碍状态,值得临床推广应用。     

A Critical Appraisal of the Evidence for Botulinum Toxin Type A in the Treatment for Cervico‐Thoracic Myofascial Pain Syndrome

Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a musculoskeletal condition characterized by regional pain and muscle tenderness associated with the presence of myofascial trigger points (MTrPs). The last decade has seen an exponential increase in the use of botulinum toxin (BTX) to treat MPS. To understand the medical evidence substantiating the role of therapeutic BTX injections and to provide useful information for the medical practitioner, we applied the principles of evidence‐based medicine to the treatment for cervico‐thoracic MPS. A search was conducted through MEDLINE (PubMed, OVID, MDConsult), EMBASE, SCOPUS and the Cochrane database for the period 1966 to 2012 using the following keywords: myofascial pain, muscle pain, botulinum toxin, trigger points, and injections. A total of 7 trials satisfied our inclusion criteria and were evaluated in this review. Although the majority of studies found negative results, our analysis identified Gobel et al.'s as the highest quality study among these prospectively randomized investigations. This was due to appropriate identification of diagnostic criteria, excellent study design and objective endpoints. The 6 other identified studies had significant failings due to deficiencies in 1 or more major criteria. We conclude that higher quality, rigorously standardized studies are needed to more appropriately investigate this promising treatment modality.     

Myofascial trigger points and sensitization: an updated pain model for tension-type headache

Present pain models for tension-type headache suggest that nociceptive inputs from peripheral tender muscles can lead to central sensitization and chronic tension-type headache (CTTH) conditions. Such models support that possible peripheral mechanisms leading to pericranial tenderness include activation or sensitization of nociceptive nerve endings by liberation of chemical mediators (bradikinin, serotonin, substance P). However, a study has found that non-specific tender points in CTTH subjects were not responsible for liberation of algogenic substances in the periphery. Assuming that liberation of algogenic substances is important, the question arising is: if tender muscle points are not the primary sites of on-going neurogenic inflammation, which structure can be responsible for liberation of chemical mediators in the periphery? A recent study has found higher levels of algogenic substances, and lower pH levels, in active myofascial trigger point (TrPs) compared with control tender points. Clinical studies have demonstrated that referred pain elicited by head and neck muscles contribute to head pain patterns in CTTH. Based on available data, an updated pain model for CTTH is proposed in which headache can at least partly be explained by referred pain from TrPs in the posterior cervical, head and shoulder muscles. In this updated pain model, TrPs would be the primary hyperalgesic zones responsible for the development of central sensitization in CTTH.