Scoping review and interpretation of myofascial pain/fibromyalgia syndrome: An attempt to assemble a medical puzzle.

<h4>Background</h4>Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) is a common, overlooked, and underdiagnosed condition and has significant burden. MPS is often dismissed by clinicians while patients remain in pain for years. MPS can evolve into fibromyalgia, however, effective treatments for both are l...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Shiloh Plaut
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2022-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0263087&type=printable
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832540060766961664
author Shiloh Plaut
author_facet Shiloh Plaut
author_sort Shiloh Plaut
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) is a common, overlooked, and underdiagnosed condition and has significant burden. MPS is often dismissed by clinicians while patients remain in pain for years. MPS can evolve into fibromyalgia, however, effective treatments for both are lacking due to absence of a clear mechanism. Many studies focus on central sensitization. Therefore, the purpose of this scoping review is to systematically search cross-disciplinary empirical studies of MPS, focusing on mechanical aspects, and suggest an organic mechanism explaining how it might evolve into fibromyalgia. Hopefully, it will advance our understanding of this disease.<h4>Methods</h4>Systematically searched multiple phrases in MEDLINE, EMBASE, COCHRANE, PEDro, and medRxiv, majority with no time limit. Inclusion/exclusion based on title and abstract, then full text inspection. Additional literature added on relevant side topics. Review follows PRISMA-ScR guidelines. PROSPERO yet to adapt registration for scoping reviews.<h4>Findings</h4>799 records included. Fascia can adapt to various states by reversibly changing biomechanical and physical properties. Trigger points, tension, and pain are a hallmark of MPS. Myofibroblasts play a role in sustained myofascial tension. Tension can propagate in fascia, possibly supporting a tensegrity framework. Movement and mechanical interventions treat and prevent MPS, while living sedentarily predisposes to MPS and recurrence.<h4>Conclusions</h4>MPS can be seen as a pathological state of imbalance in a natural process; manifesting from the inherent properties of the fascia, triggered by a disrupted biomechanical interplay. MPS might evolve into fibromyalgia through deranged myofibroblasts in connective tissue ("fascial armoring"). Movement is an underemployed requisite in modern lifestyle. Lifestyle is linked to pain and suffering. The mechanism of needling is suggested to be more mechanical than currently thought. A "global percutaneous needle fasciotomy" that respects tensegrity principles may treat MPS/fibromyalgia more effectively. "Functional-somatic syndromes" can be seen as one entity (myofibroblast-generated-tensegrity-tension), sharing a common rheuma-psycho-neurological mechanism.
format Article
id doaj-art-965a790cc0c94d5e9efbe53b5126e28e
institution Kabale University
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2022-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-965a790cc0c94d5e9efbe53b5126e28e2025-02-05T05:32:54ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032022-01-01172e026308710.1371/journal.pone.0263087Scoping review and interpretation of myofascial pain/fibromyalgia syndrome: An attempt to assemble a medical puzzle.Shiloh Plaut<h4>Background</h4>Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) is a common, overlooked, and underdiagnosed condition and has significant burden. MPS is often dismissed by clinicians while patients remain in pain for years. MPS can evolve into fibromyalgia, however, effective treatments for both are lacking due to absence of a clear mechanism. Many studies focus on central sensitization. Therefore, the purpose of this scoping review is to systematically search cross-disciplinary empirical studies of MPS, focusing on mechanical aspects, and suggest an organic mechanism explaining how it might evolve into fibromyalgia. Hopefully, it will advance our understanding of this disease.<h4>Methods</h4>Systematically searched multiple phrases in MEDLINE, EMBASE, COCHRANE, PEDro, and medRxiv, majority with no time limit. Inclusion/exclusion based on title and abstract, then full text inspection. Additional literature added on relevant side topics. Review follows PRISMA-ScR guidelines. PROSPERO yet to adapt registration for scoping reviews.<h4>Findings</h4>799 records included. Fascia can adapt to various states by reversibly changing biomechanical and physical properties. Trigger points, tension, and pain are a hallmark of MPS. Myofibroblasts play a role in sustained myofascial tension. Tension can propagate in fascia, possibly supporting a tensegrity framework. Movement and mechanical interventions treat and prevent MPS, while living sedentarily predisposes to MPS and recurrence.<h4>Conclusions</h4>MPS can be seen as a pathological state of imbalance in a natural process; manifesting from the inherent properties of the fascia, triggered by a disrupted biomechanical interplay. MPS might evolve into fibromyalgia through deranged myofibroblasts in connective tissue ("fascial armoring"). Movement is an underemployed requisite in modern lifestyle. Lifestyle is linked to pain and suffering. The mechanism of needling is suggested to be more mechanical than currently thought. A "global percutaneous needle fasciotomy" that respects tensegrity principles may treat MPS/fibromyalgia more effectively. "Functional-somatic syndromes" can be seen as one entity (myofibroblast-generated-tensegrity-tension), sharing a common rheuma-psycho-neurological mechanism.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0263087&type=printable
spellingShingle Shiloh Plaut
Scoping review and interpretation of myofascial pain/fibromyalgia syndrome: An attempt to assemble a medical puzzle.
PLoS ONE
title Scoping review and interpretation of myofascial pain/fibromyalgia syndrome: An attempt to assemble a medical puzzle.
title_full Scoping review and interpretation of myofascial pain/fibromyalgia syndrome: An attempt to assemble a medical puzzle.
title_fullStr Scoping review and interpretation of myofascial pain/fibromyalgia syndrome: An attempt to assemble a medical puzzle.
title_full_unstemmed Scoping review and interpretation of myofascial pain/fibromyalgia syndrome: An attempt to assemble a medical puzzle.
title_short Scoping review and interpretation of myofascial pain/fibromyalgia syndrome: An attempt to assemble a medical puzzle.
title_sort scoping review and interpretation of myofascial pain fibromyalgia syndrome an attempt to assemble a medical puzzle
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0263087&type=printable
work_keys_str_mv AT shilohplaut scopingreviewandinterpretationofmyofascialpainfibromyalgiasyndromeanattempttoassembleamedicalpuzzle