Muscle Pain Syndromes and Fibromyalgia

Book excerpt: Muscle Pain Syndromes and Fibromyalgia: Pressure Algometry for Quantification of Diagnosis and Treatment Outcome represents a new approach by quantifying the diagnosis and outcome assessment of musculoskeletal pain by pressure algometry. Such quantitative studies are useful in daily practice of pain management as well as in research and medicolegal documentation. The basic question of whether or not pressure sensitivity has reached an abnormal level can be answered quantitatively. Findings of different clinicians can be compared in numbers. The efficacy of different therapeutic procedures can be assessed numerically immediately after injections or physical therapy. Long-term effects of pain medications or physical modalities can be documented. The measurements take a few minutes and are simple and reliable. Muscle Pain Syndrome and Fibromyalgia is clinically oriented and presents the experience of internationally recognized authorities. This means you'll learn: the employment of pressure algometry in quantitative evaluation of pain alleviation by medications and physical modalities documentation of long-term follow up results in plantar fasciitis, failed back surgery and degenerative hip disorders treated by a new injection technique the quantified diagnosis of tender spots, active and latent trigger points and fibromyalgia the specific measurement sites, methods and goals for the evaluation of different treatments you will see how renowned clinicians in Brazil, Italy, Finland, The United States, and Taiwan employ algometry for quantitative diagnosis and evaluation of treatment results. Immediate effects of treatment as well as long-term results were successfully monitored by algometry the importance of distinguishing sensitization in the skin, subcutaneous, and deep tissues for differential diagnosis of muscle pain syndromes sensitivity over active and latent trigger points and referred pain zones Muscle Pain Syndromes and Fibromyalgia is a multidisciplinary comprehensive treatise reviewing the present status of clinical and research application of pressure algometry. This inexpensive method by its simplicity is suitable for employment in the daily practice of pain management. PA represents significant progress in approaching the important but difficult problem of how to quantify a diagnosis that is based upon such a subjective category as pain. Myofascial pain syndrome, fibromyalgia, muscle spasm and inflammation in general can be assessed quantitatively.