Increased trapezius pain sensitivity is not associated with increased tissue hardness.

Andersen H, Ge HY, Arendt-Nielsen L, Danneskiold-Samsøe B, Graven-Nielsen T. Abstract Fatiguing exercise can affect muscle pain sensitivity and muscle hardness, as seen with work-related neck and shoulder pain. Objective methods to assess muscle pain sensitivity are important because the reliability of manual assessment is generally poor. The aim of this study was (1) to [...]

Nonpharmacological approaches for the treatment of urological chronic pelvic pain syndromes in men

Jeannette M. Potts MD Abstract:  Chronic nonbacterial prostatitis, or urological chronic pelvic pain syndrome (UCPPS), remains a common and often challenging disorder to evaluate and treat. Employing a more holistic approach, including urological therapy, physical therapy, and psychosocial perspectives, may be more appropriate for most patients. Growing evidence supports the use of biofeedback, myofascial trigger point release, [...]

Comparison of manual lymph drainage therapy and connective tissue massage in women with fibromyalgia: a randomized controlled trial

Ekici G; Bakar Y; Akbayrak T; Yuksel I OBJECTIVE: This study analyzed and compared the effects of manual lymph drainage therapy (MLDT) and connective tissue massage (CTM) in women with primary fibromyalgia (PFM). METHODS: The study design was a randomized controlled trial. Fifty women with PFM completed the study. The patients were divided randomly into 2 groups. Whereas [...]

Fibromyalgia: A Disorder of the Brain?

P Schweinhardt, KM. Sauro, MC Bushnell This article presents evidence that fibromyalgia patients have alterations in CNS anatomy, physiology, and chemistry that potentially contribute to the symptoms experienced by these patients. There is substantial psychophysical evidence that fibromyalgia patients perceive pain and other noxious stimuli differently than healthy individuals and that normal pain modulatory systems, [...]

Stress-induced Physiologic Changes as a Basis for the Biopsychosocial Model of Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: A New Theory?

Finestone, Hillel M; Alfeeli, Aziz MBChB; Fisher, William A. Objectives: (1) To integrate the scientific literatures of the biopsychosocial model of chronic musculoskeletal pain and of stress-induced physiologic wound and muscle changes, and (2) to propose a clinical assessment and treatment model that incorporates this dual literature into the management of chronic musculoskeletal pain. Methods: [...]

Fibromyalgia Can No Longer Be Called the “Invisible” Syndrome

Using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), researchers in France were able to detect functional abnormalities in certain regions in the brains of patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia, reinforcing the idea that symptoms of the disorder are related to a dysfunction in those parts of the brain where pain is processed. Clinical Correlate of Brain SPECT [...]

A Distinct Pattern of Myofascial Findings in Patients After Whiplash Injury

Ettlin T, Schuster C, Stoffel R, Brüderlin A and Kischka U Objective: To identify objective clinical examinations for the diagnosis of whiplash syndrome, whereby we focused on trigger points. Design: A cross-sectional study with 1 measurement point. Setting: A quiet treatment room in a rehabilitation center. Participants: Patients (n=124) and healthy subjects (n=24) participated in [...]