Regional myofascial pain syndromes

MPS are regional pain syndromes characterized by a tender trigger point in muscle (sometimes with an accompanying palpable abnormality in consistency) producing pain in a characteristic reference zone. There is abundant evidence supporting MPS as an important cause of regional musculoskeletal pain, and a small but growing body of quantitative clinical and experimental data. The pathogenesis is unknown, but probably involves both a peripheral (muscle) and central (spinal cord) mechanism. Several modes of therapy have been proposed as effective. MPS may be related to fibrositis, but conclusive evidence is lacking.