Chronic Back Pain as a Clinical Manifestation of Myofascial Pain Syndrome

Introduction: Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a condition of muscle or fascial pain, acute or chronic, involving sensory, motor or autonomic function, which is associated with myofascial trigger points (TrP). The pain caused by TrP can cause various symptoms of chronic diseases, such as tension-type headaches, migraines, temporomandibular pain, shoulder pain, or lower back pain. Back pain that persists for more than 12 years is called chronic back pain. Case Report: A 24-year-old man came to the clinic with complaints of low back pain that had been intermittent for the previous month and felt worse for the last week. For 1 year, the patient has been diagnosed with non-specific back pain due to muscle stiffness. Since the last 1 week, the back pain has not improved, and the patient has begun to find it difficult to carry out activities such as sitting and squatting, and his hands cannot touch his feet when bending. The pain is said to be like pressure and radiates from the right buttock and back of the right thigh. The pain is aggravated if the patient stands and sits for a long time, the pain is reduced if the patient sleeps on his back. Complaints accompanied by tingling in the right buttock area spreading to the back of the right thigh. The Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) was found to be 7 out of 10 for headaches. The patient is then given dry needling therapy and then observed for 30 minutes. The patient's NRS after the procedure was 2 out of 10. Discussion: In an epidemiological study, women experienced MPS more often than men, and it was found that the prevalence in women was 6 times higher than in men. Poor posture is a risk factor for chronic back pain. The diagnosis of myofascial pain is best made through a carefully analyzed pain history, which is confirmed by a consistent physical examination. TrP in the Piriformis muscle, Gluteus Minimus, and Gluteus Medius will cause symptoms of referred pain in the waist, buttocks, thighs and calves. MPS treatment in dry needling aims to restore functional ability by reducing pain caused by TrP. Conclusion: Chronic back pain can be a syndromic manifestation of MPS. A complete history and careful physical examination are significant in diagnosing MPS, the treatment given can reduce pain, rigidity and increase mobility in patients with MPS. Keywords: Chronic back pain, myofascial pain syndrome, myofascial trigger points.