RELIEF AT LAST

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone,

I just found out that I am a chronic myofascial trigger point sufferer. If I

could have cut my legs off I would have, as the pain was so severe. Other parts

of my body have TRPs also but the pain isn't as bad.

Last summer I was feeling great. It was wonderful to be able to walk again and

to do whatever I wanted to do. I'd been in bed for 6 months because of a

herniated disc L4-L5 which caused such pain in my feet and legs I could barely

stand. I was operated on at the North American Spine Clinic in Texas within a

week of calling them from Canada. It was approximately a 2 year wait for

surgery here!

In August, I was sitting in a soft leather chair and as I went to stand up I

suddenly had pain across the top of both thighs and I locked in that position

not being able to stand up straight or sit again. I massaged my legs a few

minutes. and then was able to move. My thighs never felt right after that

though.

Over the months my right leg began to have pain that would begin at the top of

my thigh and shoot down to my knee and then continue to

my foot. It progressively got worse and worse. My buttocks were so painful I

could barely sit and when I did it wasn't for long and there was pain at my hip

area.

My doctor couldn't explain what was wrong, my chiropractic

adjustments didn't help as the pain was back the next day and the same thing

happened with my massage therapist.

Unlike in the U.S., myotherapists are few and far between in Canada. It was by

chance that I found the website of the National Association of Mofascial Trigger

Point Therapists in the U.S. The site is great and it provides a Find a

Therapist. I found one and it turned out that the man is only 15 mins. from my

home!

I was crying the day I phoned him and he took me immediately. First appointment

was 90 mins. 60 mins. therapy and 30 mins. medical history and talking of where

I felt pain. He told me immediately that he could help me, but he also told me

that he could not promise how long the pain would be gone because I was chronic.

However, he said with some time, he'll have all the pain gone and I will feel

like I did last summer. Must have patience throught the treatment and think

positively.

We pain suffers know that you reach a point where pain overcomes shyness or

embarrassment. He explained that I had TRP's at my pelvic bone and on both

sides of my groin which were affecting my legs. He said treatment could be

embarrassing for us both, but he finds he has to do this for a lot of patients.

TRPs often occur where the muscles attach to bones. I told him to do what had to

be done, I was past the point of embarrassment and just want help.

He then explained how the pain from the groin was affecting my leg muscles

(Adductor Longus & Brevis) and that the pain would go right to my foot. He

pressed in the groin and I said 10 then he asked me to tell him when it became a

2. I couldn't believe it as the pain subsided.

He worked right down the inside of my leg, knee and foot and when he was

finished I stood up and said OMG there's no pain now!!!! He told me there was

still more work to do as I was loaded with TRP's. Two days later the pain was

back and I had another appointment with him that day as he'll be away next week.

This time he taught me how to feel for a TRP whether it be a nodule or a cord.

He took my hand and showed me how to apply the required pressure to find the TRP

and how to ease up so I felt less pain but patiently hold the TRP until it went

down. I even experienced a " referred " pain.

While he worked on the front of my body, I suddenly got a throbbing pain in my

back between my shoulder blades! He put his hand there while he light pressed

on a TRP in the groin and sure enough he said he could feel throbbing in the one

on my back!

I have had books which I've read over and over explaining the muscles, TRP and

treatment, but it was only when I actually experienced finding the TRP myself

and treating it that I fully understood. So, for the next week I will treat

these TRPs myself. He also should my husband so that he could help me if need

be.

(therapist) told me it will take time, but when we are finished working

together I will feel good again and anytime a TRP bothers me I'll be able to

treat it immediately. When the primary TRP isn't treated, more TRP's are made

and it continues on and on throughout the muscles until one becomes chronic.

Last night, I discovered the Iliopsoas was the culprit that had caused my

problem in August. Here's what it said :difficulty when trying to get up from a

seated position especially one that is deep seated like a soft couch!! Now tell

that one to a doctor! LOL

I'll give you a website that is great. It provides a body, front and back and

you use your cursor to show where you are feeling pain. A box then opens

showing you the name of the muscle, the muscle group, where trigger points are

and if you click on any of the pictures you will get more information.

Black xx are trigger points while red shows pain spots and dots are referred

pain. The National Associaton of Myofascial Trigger Point Therapists provides

this information, plus where to find a therapist where you live. The site is

www.myofascialtherapy.org. For anyone who is suffering unexplained pain, I

would encourage you to seek out a myotherapist.

If a doctor has told you that you are suffering with a certain pain such as

carpal tunnel, check out TRPs. As doctors no little or nothing about trigger

points misdiagnose are given and treatments you don't need are suggested.

Wishing you all who are suffering, a much better day.