This answer is based on my 25 years of teaming up with Bay Area physicians to help patients with myofascial pain syndrome.
To see the most effective and well-educated physician for myofascial pain syndrome, you should see a physiatrist, especially one specializing in pain management. Some other options include:
- Physicians who specialize in occupational injury, as they seem to have greater training and understanding of myofascial pain syndrome, and
- An increasing number of neurologists and orthopedists who specialize in pain management.
The first step to finding the right medical professional will be to do your own research on your condition, and thereby make sure that you actually have symptoms that fit the profile of MPS. While an official diagnosis will need to be done by a physician, your self-education will (or should) be welcomed by the physician, as it will save them time.
Next, you will want to do a cursory search on Google and Yelp to determine which physicians state a specialty in MPS. There may be many, as physicians seem to be racing to learn proper protocol for MPS treatment right now. The primary physiatrist I knew at Stanford Pain Management Clinic spends about 65% of his time traveling to educate physiatrists in MPS. Once you’ve decided a doctor might be right for you, you can always call their office, and ask the staff if they treat myofascial pain syndrome. You can even ask how they do it; or you can ask the physician at the appointment.
If they reply, “We inject cortisone into the sore/tender area,” they are probably not well-trained, as this doesn’t address the taut band and trigger point.
As part of a team with the well-trained physician, my job is to get rid of as much of the active/latent trigger points as possible. If there’s something I can’t address (too deep, too active, etc.), they inject it, because IT WORKS. However, they also realize that you can’t do more than 4 or 5 at a go, because they are painful.
The internet and the phone are your friends. Don’t be afraid to use them in order to find the best doctor to help you. Good luck!
