Sensitive areas of tight muscle fibers can form in your muscles after injuries or overuse. These sensitive areas are called trigger points. A trigger point in a muscle can cause strain and pain throughout the muscle. When this pain persists and worsens, doctors call it myofascial pain syndrome.
Trigger points are an extremely common cause of pain. … Trigger points can also restrict blood flow and nerve signals, hence the referred pain. Trigger points are painful when pressed on, cause a shortening of the muscle fibers and have referred pain.
- Deep, aching pain in a muscle.
- Pain that persists or worsens.
- A tender knot in a muscle.
- Difficulty sleeping due to pain.
- Pain relievers. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve) may help some people.
- Your doctor may prescribe stronger pain relievers. Some are available in patches that you place on your skin.
- Many types of antidepressants can help relieve pain. For some people with myofascial pain syndrome, amitriptyline appears to reduce pain and improve sleep.
- Clonazepam (Klonopin) helps treat the anxiety and poor sleep that sometimes occur with myofascial pain syndrome. It must be used carefully because it can cause sleepiness and can be habit-forming.
