Complications

Myofascial pain syndrome can lead to other complications over time. Complications may include:

Muscle weakness
Myofascial pain syndrome may lead to muscle weakness over time due to inactivity. Though trigger points generally don't hurt your muscles, the pain you feel may make you reluctant to use your affected muscle. This can lead to muscle weakness.

Sleep problems
Signs and symptoms of myofascial pain syndrome may make it difficult to sleep at night. You may have trouble finding a comfortable sleep position. And, if you move at night, you might hit a trigger point and wake up. Talk to your doctor about medications that can help you sleep at night.

Fibromyalgia
Some research suggests that myofascial pain syndrome may develop into fibromyalgia in some people. Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes widespread pain. It's believed that the brains of people with fibromyalgia become more sensitive to pain signals over time. Some doctors believe myofascial pain syndrome may play a role in starting this process.

2007-11-30

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