| The Pain/Spasm
Cycle |
| The pain/spasm cycle refers to the complex series of events that
usually follows soft tissue injuries. This cycle can be
triggered by any type of stress and may exacerbate or perpetuate
symptoms long after the initial trauma occurred. If left
untreated, this cycle could last for years, leading to disability. |
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| The pain/spasm cycle usually begins with one on the previously
mentioned triggers stimulating the sensory nerves in a particular
area of the body. These nerves transmit the signal to the
brain, where it is interpreted as pain. The brain then sends a
signal back to the affected area telling the muscles to contract, in
an effort to protect the painful area from further harm. |
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| If the muscles do not relax, the results could be ischemia (a
reduction in the availability of oxygenated blood to a particular
area), edema, and the retention of metabolic waste products, capable
of causing further inflammation and the formation of trigger points. |
| |
| Swelling and inflammation can press on nerves, resulting in more
pain, and also cause a fibrous reaction in the body, where collagen
fibers begin to form adhesions that can inhibit muscle lengthening,
ultimately leading to functional disability. |
| |
| These trigger points are capable of spreading this cycle of pain
to other areas of the body. When a trigger point is
stimulated, it will refer pain to another area of the body.
For example, if you press on a trigger point in the leg, it may
cause pain in the lower back. If the point is continuously
being stimulated by some pressure or stress, the muscles in the
lower back, where the pain was referred to, will begin to contract.
This can lead to the formation of additional trigger points in the
lower back. |
