After researching and digging to try to find a reason for my stabbing, mid-back pain on my left side for the past month, I think I may finally have an explanation that makes some sense. In addition to Fibromyalgia, I also have Chronic Myofascial Pain, which is associated with those trigger points. Trigger points are muscles that, when knotted up, tend to refer pain to other areas in the body. Sometimes referral pains are not very logical, so it's easy to forget that trigger points might be the culprit of some problems.
The muscle that I suspect is causing pain for me the past month or so is called the Serratus Anterior, which is located under the arms.
When I learned of this muscle, I tried massaging the faulty muscle on my left side. I was surprised to find that breathing and movements hurt less while I was applying gentle pressure on the spot. However, it's a difficult position to massage oneself, as the other arm gets fatigued quickly. I told my husband about it and he rubbed it for me a bit, which felt good. I'm now focusing my heat wrap and intermittent rubbing (as I can) on that spot, to help the pain under my left shoulder blade fade away.
I hope to do more focused stretching on the spot as well, to help prevent this problem from occurring again.
I think I may want to get The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook as a future reference, since it came in so handy for me on this issue. (The drawing above is from the book's website.) I'll keep you all posted on my progress with this pain.
Do any of you have this book? Has it helped you? How do you handle trigger point pain referral problems?
Trigger point therapy workbook is excellent, I highly recommend it.
ReplyDeleteTrying to find the offending trigger point for a given symptom can be like trying to find a needle in a hay stack, particularly if you suffer from multiple trps.
Out of interest, do you also suffer from anxiety, panic, shortness of breath?
I have not had anxiety or panic attacks, but I do have asthma and deal with breathing issues, including shortness of breath.
ReplyDeleteAs well as the serratus anterior, I have trigger points in the serratus posterior inferior, together they cause a whole host of problems for me.
ReplyDeleteFor self massage try a theracane or backnobber. If you can't get them, a hard tennis ball in a sock works wonders. Save your hands! The best thing about self massage is that you know how much pressure to apply and where. Getting my wife to help me is a nightmare, its all "a bit lower, left a bit, higher, not so hard!"
But do get the book first.
I have a TheraCane and a Knobbler that I got along with the Trigger Point Therapy Workbook.
ReplyDeletehttp://xsarenkax.blogspot.com/2010/06/thera-cane.html
These are definitely must-have tools for anyone with pain they can't seem to relieve. Most folks have trigger points and don't realize it.
Thanks for writing!