Myofascial headache syndrome symptoms. Clinical case

Myofascial headache symptoms

A girl of 22 years. Complaints of severe, almost daily headache. Head pains symmetrically on both sides, the entire head, with epicenters in the back of the head, temples and forehead, which resembles the myofascial headache syndrome. Previously, intermittent pain increased after the outbreak of war and forced relocation. Also complains of feeling of stiffness, tension in the neck and shoulders, intermittent pain on movements in the right side of the chest near the spine, below the right shoulder blade. Uncontrolled and frequent intake of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs brings only temporary, not complete relief.

Objective examination: range of motion in the neck is somewhat limited by pain in the following directions: flexion - pulling, bilateral pain in the neck, turning to the right - pain in the suboccipital area on the right. Turning to the thoracic region causes the above described pain under the scapula on the right (more when turning to the left). Lower lumbar pain on the left is provoked by bending forward.
Neck and shoulder muscles are painful, on palpation causing the patient's characteristic myofascial headache, "it's like my headache is starting." The left iliac bone is blocked in retrorotation. Rotation of the C1-C2 cervical vertebrae is restricted to the right.

Diagnosis: myofascial pain syndrome headache of multiple genesis (most of the muscles that can reffer in the head do so). Joint dysfunction of C1-C2, left sacroiliac joint, lower thoracic right.

Treatment: myofascial release techniques, deep tissue massage for the muscles responsible for the headaches, gentle smooth mobilization in a painless direction of the joints with the identified dysfunction. Muscle stretching exercises and ergonomic correction tips are indicated for the patient.
☛ Myotherapy massage technique.

Results: gradual reduction in the severity and duration of headaches until the 5th session. Pain of movement in the neck and lower back went faster. Less result was achieved in the thoracic region, possibly due to spinal trauma caused by intensive gymnastics exercises from early childhood.

Myofascial pain syndrome headache. Conclusions.

Another case reminding you how severe and persistent myofascial headache symptoms can be. And I remind you that this is not an inflammation, spasm, or muscle weakness, but quite a specific, different disorder and it cannot be cured by medication.
Also, it is not a guarantee of absence of such problems if someone practices sports, regular physical exercises. Among the many factors provoking this patient's aggravation, the war, the bombing of her city, and her unenviable fate as a refugee were obviously not the least of these.