Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a fancy way to describe muscle pain and inflammation. It's a chronic condition that affects the connective tissue that covers the muscles, called the fascia. MPS may involve either a single muscle or a muscle group.
Sometimes, the area where it hurts may not be where the myofascial pain is coming from. The actual site of the injury or strain creates a trigger point that, in turn, causes pain somewhere else. This is known as referred pain.
People with MPS may also have depression, fatigue, and behavior troubles.
MPS can be treated with medication, physical therapy, trigger point injections, and massage.