7.0 CRITERIA FOR DIAGNOSIS
In order to accurately diagnose MPS, all five of the major criteria listed below must be present (Yunus, 1994).1. Regional pain complaint.2. Taut band palpable in an accessible muscle.
3. Exquisite spot of tenderness in the taut band.
4. Pain complaint or altered sensation in the expected distribution of referred pain from the tender spot.
5. Some restricted range of motion, when measurable.
In addition, at least one of the following minor criteria must met (Yunus, 1994).
1. Reproduction of clinical pain complaint, or altered sensation, bypressure on the tender spot.
2. Local twitch response by transverse snapping palpation of, or
needle insertion into, the taut band.
3. Pain alleviation by stretching the involved muscle or injecting the
tender spot in it.
6.0 IMAGING TECHNIQUES
The only modality to have any reported success in the detection of TrPs is thermographic imaging. Thermography detects the distribution of body surface heat and a high correlation exists between areas of higher thermal emission and the location of trigger points as well as their classic zones of referred pain (Diakow, 1988). TrPs appear as discrete foci of increased thermal emission with the zones of referred pain marked by an area of diffuse hyperthermia (Diakow, 1988, Kruse & Christiansen, 1992). These thermal changes are used as evidence to support the presence of both local and peripheral, sympathetic abnormalities (Kruse & Christiansen, 1992).
