Expert: Dr. Brendon J. O`Brien, D.C. - 1/6/2005

Question
i am pretty sure i have myofascial pain syndrome or somethere of the like. i have been to over 20 doctors and they really dont know what the problem is but i think it is myofascial pain as this or maybe a damaged ligament is the only thing left. this whole problem started for the last 17 years when i had seemed like at the time minor accident falling on my side about 5 times due to poor condition of the skates while playing ice hockey. the pain has gotten really quite bad increasing over the years. i am now 38 years old. i have the pain and it shifts in places such as QL muscle, tensor fascia muscle, gluteal maximums, minimus, mdeium, SI joint, hip joint and other areas of the hip. also low back stiffness. but at all at the same time. it waxes. it wanes. i have tried self myofascial realise with my bodyweight on top of a plumbing pipe and sometimes i use a small round plastic object placed around looknig for trigger points. when i do hit a trigger point i can become in immense pain while on it. sometimes these techniques do reduce the pain. do you have other techniques i could try? or what kind of a medical professional should i be looking for?

of note i have been to a chiropractor whose seesions where over 1 hour long. he did look at the xrays and did observe that one side of the hip was 6mm shorter than the other. i think this is an indication of muscle tension. all he did for treatment was to get the spine more mobile although that was accomplised the pain remained. after many seesions he just said to me i have gone as far as i can go i cant help you anymore. but when i did mention myofascial pain syndrome he just did not seem to recognize it.

thanking you in advance.


Answer
Hello Jii,

     You may first want to have a MRI of the hip/pelvis. MRI will show the soft tissue (muscle,tendons,ligaments) and bone/cartilage.  This will give you a better picture of what is going on.  You may have some myofascial adhesions in the affected areas cuasing improper biomechanics and pain, which is common when injured repetitively.  You may want to seek a doctor of chiropractic who specializes in sports injury/ myofascial release techniques (where the doctor works on the adhesion/scar tissue physically).  You may want to call around and ask if they perform the previously mentioned techniques.

  Thank you for your question, hope everything goes well.

Dr. Brendon O'Brien D.C.