Many patients who experience pain because of tight muscles may have a condition known as myofascial pain syndrome. If you have myofascial pain syndrome, you experience pain that originates in specific trigger points. The best way to treat this condition is with Myofascial Release Therapy (MTR), a physical therapy treatment that specifically targets those trigger points. Our team of experts at Beeson Wellness Center is trained to administer myofascial release to you when we believe it can help relieve your pain.
Myofascial pain syndrome and myofascial release
Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic pain disorder that is caused by sensitivity and tightness in certain trigger points along your fascia, which is tissue that surrounds your muscles to provide support. When you experience pain because of this condition, you feel pressure on the trigger point, which causes your muscle to tighten. The trigger point is not always located in the point where you think you feel the pain.
Myofascial release is meant to provide relief caused by myofascial pain. During myofascial release, we look for these trigger points. It can often be difficult to localize these trigger points, and therefore we focus on a broad area of muscle or tissue during the treatment. We apply gentle pressure to the muscle to release tension to alleviate the tension. This treatment differs from traditional massage therapy since during myofascial release, we press down rather than stroke or knead muscle.
Myofascial release for other conditions
Myofascial release can also help you if you experience a number of other conditions.
We sometimes use the treatment to relieve migraine headaches caused by pressure on the tissues surrounding the skull.
Patients who experience venous insufficiency may also benefit from myofascial release. Venous insufficiency occurs when blood pools in the deep veins of your leg, causing the vein to stretch and produce pain throughout your leg. Myofascial release, alongside other treatments, can serve to reduce the pooling that causes this pain.
It can also be used for patients who have temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, carpal tunnel syndrome, and even some cases of fibromyalgia.
Are there any risks?
There aren’t any risks associated with myofascial release by massage therapy. The treatment can only serve to help release tension and alleviate pain throughout your body. However, massage therapy is generally not recommended for people who experience the following:
- Burns, injuries, painful wounds
- Fractures or broken bones
- Fragile bones
- Deep vein thrombosis
Massage therapy is also not recommended if you take blood thinning medication.
Rare, but serious, side effects of massage therapy can include:
- Internal bleeding
- Temporary paralysis
- Allergic reaction to oils, gels, or lotions
- Nerve damage
Muscle pain shouldn’t control your life. For a consultation with one of our specialists, book an appointment with Beeson Wellness Center today.
