Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic pain condition that causes pain and inflammation in specific muscle fibers in the body. It can be one of the most uncomfortable chronic conditions to have to live with, and it can affect every part of your life, impairing even the most basic functions when there’s a flare-up of the condition.
We know a lot more about myofascial pain syndrome than we did years back, and this is excellent news for anyone diagnosed with it – and anyone who is still looking for the right condition to describe what they have been going through.
If you suspect that you might have the myofascial syndrome, pay attention to the symptoms, take a closer look at some associated conditions and risk factors, and make an appointment with your doctor to find the appropriate treatment to bring the symptoms some relief.
Here are 8 factors that increase the risk of myofascial pain syndrome.
1. Stress and Stress-Related Conditions
Stress-related conditions and chronic episodes of anxiety can be linked directly to myofascial pain syndrome, and it’s believed to be due to the fact that muscle tension often goes along with anxiety conditions. If you have any kind of stress-related conditions, you should take note if you experience symptoms like knotting in the muscles or chronic pain around the same time you do anxiety or stress.
The majority of different anxiety and stress-related conditions can be managed with a few small lifestyle changes, learning the right coping techniques to reduce stress and deal with instances of stress better, and in some cases, medication might be prescribed to change how the body reacts to external stress.
See your doctor if you experience any kind of chronic stress or depression: There’s no shame in this, and making an appointment with your doctor is the first step to managing the condition you might have.