If you feel tension and soreness in your neck, back, shoulders, and even head, you might want to try easing the pain with myofascial release therapy.

Myofascial pain is a tightness and sensitivity in the supporting connective tissue surrounding the muscles throughout the body. This pain is typically generated by a contraction of skeletal muscle fibers bound tight by fascia, or it can also come from within damaged myofascial tissues at specific areas or trigger points.

Some possible causes of chronic myofascial pain include an inflammatory disorder, a cumulative misalignment, trauma from an injury, or a compressed nerve due to a herniated disc. No matter what the cause of Myofascial pain, the muscle or tissue restriction inhibits the blood from flowing normally to the affected areas.

This ultimately increases the pain and accentuates the contraction even further until the chronic disorder is treated with some therapy.

Myofascial Release Therapy

The main objective of Myofascial release therapy is to reduce pain and restore motion to adjoining structures. This type of physical therapy is commonly used to treat symptoms of many different medical conditions which includes Myofascial pain syndrome.

Myofascial release therapy focuses on easing tensions and alleviating tightness using low load stretches and sustained pressure. This is applied to targeted areas to loosen and release the connective tissue surrounding the muscles and bones. Once the restricted connective tissue inside particular trigger points has been released, patients typically feel less pain and have a much better range of motion.

Myofascial release is often applied to a broad area of muscle tissue without massage oils or lubricant. This is because locating and identifying which trigger point of connective tissue is causing the pain is often incredibly difficult. And by maintaining steady pressure on targeted areas for numerous minutes, physical therapists can ensure the tissue fibers have enough time to stretch and soften.

Who Can Benefit?

While patients diagnosed with Myofascial pain syndrome are the most common recipients of this therapy, it can also be used for many other painful conditions as well. This is because Myofascial release therapy is a very safe and effective treatment that only involves the application of gentle and sustained pressure.

Due to the relatively reduced risk, patients with chronic back pain may want to try Myofascial release therapy as an alternative treatment to see if it provides any relief. This includes anyone with loss of function or flexibility after an injury, or who is experiencing pain in areas containing soft tissue like the back, shoulder, or hips. Myofascial release therapy can also be used to improve muscular and skeletal alignment, which is especially useful for those hoping to avoid surgery.

Some other conditions which may also be treated are Fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, and migraines or chronic headaches. It may also be an effective complementary treatment to help reduce the pain caused by venous insufficiency when blood pools deep in the leg veins.

Just like any other treatment or therapy, you should consult with your doctor or medical professional first if you’re interested in Myofascial release therapy.