Tag Archives: Therapy
Chronic Myofascial Pain & Fibromyalgia – Often Together But Miles Apart
Many people with fibromyalgia also have chronic myofascial pain or CMP (formally known as Myofascial Pain Syndrome, MPS) and don’t even know it. It is often missed because it is simple to confuse the pain and it’s origins with that of FM. As a result, it is missed in the diagnosis. Both are connected to the musculoskeletal system which makes up nearly 50% of our body weight, but should not be confused as being the same. Understanding FM and CMP and what makes them tick, will empower you to help yourself. You will be able to figure out some of the contributing factors to your pain, where it originates and what makes it feel better. It will help you know treatments and find the one(s) that work for you.
Trigger Point Therapy for Pain
In my San Antonio, Texas Massage and Bodywork practice many of the people that come for treatment are seeking someone to help them with muscular pain and chronic tension from Trigger Points. Not all of these people have heard of Trigger Point Therapy but some have heard that Trigger Point Therapy is an effective method of naturally relieving their muscular pain. What they’ve heard is absolutely right.
What Is Best Therapy For Piriformis Muscle Syndrome?
Stretching the piriformis muscle to is nearly always necessary relieve the pain along the sciatic nerve and can be done in several different positions. A number of stretching exercises for the piriformis muscle, hamstring muscles and hip extensor muscles may be used to help decrease the painful symptoms along the sciatic nerve and return the patient’s range of motion.
Several of the stretching exercises commonly prescribed to treat sciatica symptoms from piriformis muscle problems include:
Supine piriformis stretches:
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Lie on the back with the legs flat. Pull the affected leg up toward the chest, holding the knee with the hand on the same side of the body and grasping the ankle with the other hand. Trying to lead with the ankle, pull the knee towards the opposite ankle (Figure 17).
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Lie on the floor with the legs flat. Raise the affected leg and place that foot on the floor outside the opposite knee. Pull the knee of the bent leg directly across the midline of the body using the opposite hand or a towel, if needed (Figure 18).
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Lie on the floor with the affected leg crossed over the other leg at the knees and both legs bent. Gently pull the lower knee up towards the shoulder on the same side of the body (Figure 19).
Buttocks stretch for the piriformis:
* Start on all fours. Place the affected foot across and underneath the trunk of the body so that the affected knee is outside the trunk. Extend the non-affected leg straight back behind the trunk and keep the pelvis straight. Keeping the affected leg in place, scoot the hips backwards towards the floor and lean forward on the forearms (Figure 20).
All of the piriformis stretching exercises should be held for 30 seconds and repeated 3 times.
