Patients with chronic face and neck pain, or myofascial pain, must typically undergo several treatments to alleviate the pain symptoms associated with the condition. A comprehensive treatment plan may include the following treatments:
- Physical therapy
- Spray and Stretch: application of a very cold spray that temporarily distracts the muscle, allowing a doctor or therapist to stretch the muscle to the point of release.
- Trigger point injections: The injection works to relax the tension of the trigger point and relieve associated pain, allowing the trigger point to be released and more effectively addressed with physical therapy.
- Medications
Treatment of myofascial pain can be dependent on the patient’s level of health or severity of injury. An individual’s rate of improvement may vary based on a number of conditions including:
- Overall physical fitness and health
- Compliance with self-care and at-home treatment
- Underlying skeletal abnormalities
- Depression, anxiety or stress
- Nutrition
- Quality of sleep
- Other medical conditions
