Symptom Duration Affects the Outcome of Multidisciplinary Treatment of Myofascial Pain: The Method of Assessment Influences the Understanding of the Results

Objectives: To study the effect of symptom duration on the outcome of a multidisciplinary program treating patients with myofascial pain failing standard therapies. We also study the effect of the assessment method on the clarity of the report of the results.Methods: Fifty-two consecutive patients enrolled in a multidisciplinary pain treatment program who failed physical, chiropractic, medication, and surgical therapies were treated with myofascial technique physical therapy, clinical psychophysiology [biofeedback, surface electromyography, and counseling], medication, and trigger point injections. We used two McGill Pain Scales, the visual analog scale [VAS], and a Global Self Assessment Scale of Improvement [GSASI] to assess outcomes.Results: Twenty-nine of 34 [85 percent] patients treated within three years of symptom onset and 12 of 18 [67 percent] patients with symptoms of longer duration were likely to have good or excellent outcomes. The earlier group had 24 of 34 [71 percent] and the latter five o...