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Myofascial Pain Overview
Overview
An Integrative Health approach to myofascial pain incorporates nutrition, yoga, tai chi, meditation, dietary supplements, massage, and other integrative and complementary practices.
Integrative Health emphasizes mindful awareness and patient self-care along with conventional and integrative approaches to health and well-being. The Circle of Health highlights eight areas of self-care: Physical Activity, Surroundings, Personal Development, Nutrition, Recharge, Family Friends, & Co-Workers, Spirit & Soul, and Mind & Emotions. The narrative below shows what an Integrative Health clinical visit could look like and how to apply the latest research on complementary and integrative health to myofascial pain.
Meet the Patient
Jennifer is a 37-year-old woman with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia syndrome who would like to talk about further treatment options for her chronic pain. She was diagnosed with fibromyalgia seven years ago. Prior to that, she intermittently had episodes of mild depression that resolved without medications, and she also suffered from frequent migraine headaches. She developed pain in her neck, back and both legs, which persisted. This was associated with headaches, persistent fatigue, and non-restorative sleep. Previous treatments have included gabapentin, amitriptyline, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), Tylenol, and intermittent short acting opioids. She is frustrated because none of these have made her pain go away. She liked the opioids the best but admits that they did not relieve her pain much either.
Personal Health Inventory
On her Personal Health Inventory, Jennifer rates herself a 1 out of 5 for her overall physical well-being and a 1 for overall mental and emotional well-being. When asked what matters most to her and why she wants to be healthy, Jennifer responds:
“My 2 kids and my parents matter the most to me in my life. Spending time with my 2 kids, swimming, and solving problems bring me a sense of joy and happiness.”
For the eight areas of self-care, Jennifer rates herself on where she is, and where she would like to be. She decides to first focus on the areas of Family, Friends, and Co-Workers and Mind & Emotions by spending more time with her children and enrolling in a meditation course.
For more information, refer to Jennifer’s PHI.