Muscle Spasticity (Myofascial pain)
Muscle Spasticity (Myofascial pain) is a very common condition, myofascial spasticity can lead to the formation of painful knots or ‘trigger’ points this is often treated with physical therapy and local injections that are performed either by feeling or under visual ultrasound guidance.
Injected medications include steroid or non-steroidal substances in addition to a local anesthetic.
More recently however PRP, Platelet Rich Plasma, has been gaining in popularity as an alternative to steroid-based injections which may have medication-related side effects. A recent study from Frontiers in Neurology studied a particular group of patients with temporomandibular disorders. This condition is a classic example of muscle spasticity as it occurs in a muscle called the masseter which is involved in active chewing.
Patients identified with a temporomandibular disorder were treated with PRP injections, their pain scores were assessed and it has been determined that 60 to 70% of patients had improvement that lasted over 18 months.
Typically trigger point injections using steroids can last up to a month and should not be repeated more than three times per year.
PRP injections for trigger points, however, have been known to last a record of two years, more importantly, trigger point injections using PRP and repeated yearly can provide a stabilizing maintenance effect.
The mechanical risk factors using PRP are no different than trigger point injections with or without steroids. The advantage, of course, is that PRP can be repeated frequently without side effects.
