It is one of the most common causes of acute and chronic pain. Nearly everyone suffers from the disorder at some time.
Trigger points can be active or latent.
Active trigger points are always tender when pressed, they reproduce the referred pain symptoms. Latent trigger points do not cause pain during normal activities, but are tender when touched. Common sites of myofascial pain include muscles in the head, neck, shoulders, and back. A patient with symptoms of myofascial pain should be screened by a physician who specializes in treating the disorder so that he can receive appropriate treatment and referrals as appropriate. Pain specialists encourage patients to realize that myofascial pain is a complex, chronic pain problem, and that successful treatment is not a simple matter of taking medication.