The central sensitization syndrome (CSS) encompasses disorders with overlapping symptoms in a structural pathology spectrum ranging from persistent nociception [e.g., osteoarthritis (OA)] to an absence of tissue injuries such as the one presented in fibromyalgia (FM) and myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). First, we hypothesized that these syndromes present differences in their cortical excitabilit...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of the Whirlpool hydrotherapy on pain and anxiety in chronic myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) patients, compared to the conventional hydrocollator pack therapy. METHODS Forty-one subjects who have MPS in the upper trapezius muscles without depression were recruited. The patients were randomly assigned into two groups: the whirlpool therapy group whose bodies wer...

The theory of myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) caused by trigger points (TrPs) seeks to explain the phenomena of muscle pain and tenderness in the absence of evidence for local nociception. Although it lacks external validity, many practitioners have uncritically accepted the diagnosis of MPS and its system of treatment. Furthermore, rheumatologists have implicated TrPs in the pathogenesis of chr...

OBJECTIVE To assess head posture using cervical spine X-rays to find out whether forward head posture is related to myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) in neck and shoulder. METHODS Eighty-eight participants who were diagnosed with MPS in neck and shoulder were evaluated in this study. Four parameters (distance among head, cervical spines, and shoulder, and cervical angle) were measured from later...

The theory of myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) caused by trigger points (TrPs) seeks to explain the phenomena of muscle pain and tenderness in the absence of evidence for local nociception. Although it lacks external validity, many practitioners have uncritically accepted the diagnosis of MPS and its system of treatment. Furthermore, rheumatologists have implicated TrPs in the pathogenesis of chr...

OBJECTIVES Although acupuncture and microcurrent are widely used for chronic pain, there remains considerable controversy as to their therapeutic value for neck pain. We aimed to determine the effect size of microcurrent applied to lower back acupuncture points to assess the impact on the neck pain. DESIGN This was a cohort analysis of treatment outcomes pre- and postmicrocurrent stimulation,...

[Purpose] The present study examined the effects of treatment using PNF extension techniques on the pain, pressure pain, and neck and shoulder functions of the upper trapezius muscles of myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) patients. [Subjects] Thirty-two patients with MPS in the upper trapezius muscle were divided into two groups: a PNF group (n=16), and a control group (n=16) [Methods] The PNF grou...

Mucopolysaccharidosis I and II are lysosomal storage disorders that, despite treatment with hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and/or enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), continue to cause significant skeletal abnormalities leading to pain, stiffness, physical dysfunction, and short stature. Tumor necrosis factor - alpha (TNF-α) is elevated in individuals with MPS I and II and associated wit...

During the past few months, several new studies, reviews and case studies on myofascial pain syndrome [MPS] and myofascial trigger points [TrPs] have been published. Myofascial pain syndrome and TrPs are increasingly being recognized not only in the United States, but also in Europe. Testa and colleagues [Milan, Italy] published an excellent review article detailing the clinical signs that lead...