A page about migraine and myofscial pain

Interesting. Nothing ground breaking, but worth a read, well for me anyway.
So I broke my own no links rule.

It's fine BTW.

P
http://www.blatmanpainclinic.com/Headache-and-Myofascial-Pain.htm

thanks. i found the diagrams interesting. where are your headaches located.

All over Gail, but I think I know which points are a problem for me now.
I have a lot of TPs. They are hard to deal with and hard to sort out.

Its the first page like that I have seen actually acknowledging the direct link between TPs and head pain.
Of course many mention it, but that is very direct.

P

thanks

After looking at the diagrams I checked out my neck. Which is never sore. I pressed on the left side and felt extreme soreness. This soreness went into my shoulder and made my arm go weak. I then pressed on the same spot in the neck and the soreness was gone. My headache, today, is in my forehead and is extreme. The headache is still there. But I found this whol episode interesting. BFW When I pressed on the right side no pain. Only the left. This was all in only seconds.

There are some excellent books on Myofascail pain Gail.
They can cause so much trouble, I wish I could fix mine, but at least I have isolated some of them.

I was watching TV a few days ago and put my head to one side and my hand on my neck.
Wow!!!! I got an awful pain shoot right up to my temple. I sat there and then it lodged under the occipital for a good half hour.
Self inflicted....

Are you on my Fb group Gail. I have a lady on there who writes about this all the time and is so helpful.
You might be interested. All welcome....

Pen: I have seen numerous doctors and not one has used the term myofacial.

.......I sat there and then lodged under the occipital for a good half an hour........what does that mean Pen.....

I believe I posted this web site a while back. The images show most of the trigger points in the head and shoulders that can cause headaches:

http://round-earth.com/HeadPainIntro.html

gailgigi asked: 'I have seen numerous doctors and not one has used the term myofacial." As I understand most MDs do not understand the muscle system and how it interacts. This is according to a sport med. MD I saw for my headaches.

Chiropractors, Physical Therapists, Trigger Point Massage therapists, and etc would understand the term "myofascial."

Martin

Thanks Martin. I am about to check out your link. Yes, I thought it would be an alternative route to check out. I recently had two nerve block sessions done by a headache specialist. (even he did not mention this term) BTW Wow, I do not know how to respond to your photo. It is fabulous and yet disarming. Where did you find it.....Gail

Gail:

I do not know how to respond to your photo. It is fabulous and yet disarming. Where did you find it

I took the photo about three years, black and white 35 mm film, at a Clay Pipe plant, where they also make statues for restoration work. With PhotoShop, I blacked out the background and emphasized the contrast. Sitting in front of the computer, trying to get the right look, is what contributed to the chronic headaches.

I thought the image pretty much says what a bad headache feels like: pain and suffering.

Thanks for asking.

Martin

Gail I have never had a dr use the term myofascial either.
But when I went to the pain clinic assessment, they told me I had multiple TPs, and we discussed myofascial.
I dont think a GP would get it....

When I said it was lodged under the occipital, I meant it ended up there and didnt shift for an hour or more...

Pen: Ok. So you feel it was self inflicted...... Martin: Oh boy. So working on this photo actually contributed to your chronic daily headaches. I hardly know what to say. And, yes, your photo does convey pain and suffering. Which is why I found it so disarming and beautiful simultaneously. It bothered me to look at it. Yet, I could not look away.....too honest. We want honesty but when we get it it can be painful.

Pen: Do you have multiple trigger points because you have fibro........I recall a friend of mine with fibro said they diagnosed fibro by checking trigger points. True or not I do not know.

gailgigi wrote:Pen: Do you have multiple trigger points because you have fibro........I recall a friend of mine with fibro said they diagnosed fibro by checking trigger points. True or not I do not know.

Possibly yes Gail. I have suggested this, and they nod, but no one ever really says.
When I see the GP, she barely acknowledges Fibro exists.
But when I went with palpations, she said, "well you have fibro, it can be a symptom"

I have a HUGE amount of confidence in my doctors...NOT!!!

gailgigi wrote:Pen: Do you have multiple trigger points because you have fibro........I recall a friend of mine with fibro said they diagnosed fibro by checking trigger points. True or not I do not know.

Possibly yes Gail. I have suggested this, and they nod, but no one ever really says.
When I see the GP, she barely acknowledges Fibro exists.
But when I went with palpations, she said, "well you have fibro, it can be a symptom"

I have a HUGE amount of confidence in my doctors...NOT!!!

Oh Pen, it seems we feel the same way about doctors. I used to have a hugh amount of respect for them. This migraine siutation has certainly altered my view. Perhaps to the other end of the scale. Perhaps one day it will balance out. But I do not know....

mxgo wrote:I believe I posted this web site a while back. The images show most of the trigger points in the head and shoulders that can cause headaches:

http://round-earth.com/HeadPainIntro.html

gailgigi asked: 'I have seen numerous doctors and not one has used the term myofacial." As I understand most MDs do not understand the muscle system and how it interacts. This is according to a sport med. MD I saw for my headaches.

Chiropractors, Physical Therapists, Trigger Point Massage therapists, and etc would understand the term "myofascial."

Martin

Exactly. I have actually had headaches aborted in the early stages through work on the occipital points and scalenes. From what therapists have told me a ton of people they treat with migraines have ridiculous scalene issues. The interesting things is when I get them worked on, I can tell how much pain they are referring to other parts of my body. EG when I get my scalenes worked on, I can feel it in the side of my head and forehead.

Very rough map of scalenes and trigger points:

The problem is you need a really good therapist with an understanding of migraines to be able to provide relief in the early stages of a migraine. If they don't know what they are doing, and you don't know what to watch for, you can make the migraine come on faster and make it more severe. I have personally found that Active Release Technique works the best for that application. It holds a pressure point while performing stretches and range of motion. Massage can be too aggressive sometimes (again, unless you trust your therapist).

tdu said:

I have personally found that Active Release Technique works the best for that application. It holds a pressure point while performing stretches and range of motion.

My trigger point therapist does the same. The only thing that a person has to watch for, is that some therapists think that they can remove the knot in a few sessions.

I am also trying Somatic Therapy in which the therapist moves moves your limbs or body slowly and with each movement increases the range of motion. After the session the therapists, gives you some exercises so that you can reinforce the movement and re-train your muscles. What I like about somatics is that the therapists stops at the point the stretch starts to give you pain.

Martin