Just What Is Myofascial Pain?

Myofascial Pain is a term to describe one’s muscles experiencing spasms, tenderness and pain. The cause of myofascial pain can sometimes be clearly traced back to a previous injury and poor sleeping patterns – even stress can be the underlying cause. However, because many patients’ complaints cannot be easily explained medical professionals often tell them that the pain is just all in their head. This can cause the patient extreme frustration and even lead to depression in those people who are suffering “mysterious” pain for several years.

Myofascial Symptoms and Signs

-The muscle pain is usually localized. The affected areas may cause neck pain and lower or upper back pain. Interestingly enough, generally one side of the body is more affected than the other.

-Spasm and tenderness in the areas that are painful and even in the areas not feeling the pain

-Poor sleep patterns where the person may wake up feeling unrested, causing fatigue during the day and body stiffness

Non-medical Ways To Alleviate Myofascial Pain

Here are some natural ways to help alleviate your pain:

Release Therapy

Release Therapy uses gentle pressure on certain parts of the body which may help to relax your muscles and release endorphins, which happen to be natural painkillers. During therapy, you may start by lifting up your legs (followed by your neck and shoulders) and holding them up for a few minutes to help relieve some of the pain. After lifting, pressure may be applied to these areas.

Get More Sleep

As you may know, sleep can play an important role in overall health. With enough sleep, the body is better suited to withstand pain, in addition providing the body with more energy. Sleeping also helps muscles to relax and potentially heal some ailments naturally.

Exercise

Don’t overdo your exercises, as this may worsen the muscle related condition. However, low impact exercises, like light stretching and cardiovascular activity, can gently stretch your muscles and help with better body posture. Stretching also relaxes the tight muscles and allows the blood to flow, which can help ease pain. Swimming, a low impact exercise, can help in releasing endorphins.

Diet & Lifestyle

We all know that a healthy diet can certainly help your body heal and function as it should, to better help your overall well being. Make sure you are eating a healthy balanced diet with all the required nutrients. A robust intake of healthy foods can also assist in alleviating pain, while avoiding stress (and stress full situations) may also help to improve your symptoms. Listen to your body!

Your body needs rest, a good diet and healthy activity. When you are caring for your body as you should, you may find that pain can be alleviated without the use of medications and medical procedures. To find out more about how you can naturally heal your pain, please contact our Cincinnati based office today.