MPs or myofascial pain syndrome is a condition marked by localized areas of sensitivity scattered throughout the body. Also known as trigger points, they’re sensitized spots that can be felt as discrete bands of muscle tissue, referred to as knots, that can cause pain when touched or even sometimes when they’re left alone.
These knots, which feel like a small solid bean underneath the skin, can result in “referred pain” that’s felt in a completely different part of the body. This can make it difficult to attribute a specific cause. Some patients will have no idea why they’re all of a sudden having a problem.
While the medical strategy for dealing with trigger points involves medications or sometimes injections, many people get non-medical relief from self massage. Basically, what you want to do is gently, but firmly, press against the trigger point. It may hurt at first, but as you continue eventually the knot should soften and then release.
You can use your hands for your upper body and neck, foam roller for your back or a tennis ball for your hands, feet and butt. You can also take advantage of Rolfing, an intense form of massage where a trained professional manipulates the fibers in scar tissue, that are linked to MPs, until they’re broken up. A good Rolfer for it can also correct anatomical and structural distortions, essentially curing the condition and eliminating trigger point pain for good.
