Don't be surprised if the pain gets worse

[scotsman]

I've noticed a couple posts recently where people have been mentioning that their pain/symptoms have been increasing somewhat (outside specific flares).

It's something we've not really discussed much - as most people come here with a set of symptoms and all we write about is the battle to reduce them.

However, it's very understandable why symptoms can increase over time. Take my story - I've made excellent progress in pulling back the number of triggerpoints and scope of my symptoms but I'd say I'm now still in as much pain as I've ever been in (and worse pain than I was in the first 3-4 months) but I understand why.

95% of my remaining pain is coming from my transversus perinei superficialis muscle, but this is an area I've only been triggerpoint treating over the past 6 months - for the previous 18 months I've not been treating it and it's been getting more dysfunctional over that time period. I now feel I've stopped it's decline and I'm making progress in reversing the damage.

It's important for sufferers not to get disheartened that the protocol they are following isn't working - it probably is, but you still might not have got to specific troublespots - which is why a big thing I advocate is to always try something new every month - try searching out and treating a different area, or try treating the same area from a different direction (don't forget that triggerpoints are 3-dimensional).

Increases in pain levels due to untreated triggerpoints could also be the reason why some people are now feeling that they need pain relief - and it's not just that they are worn down by the pain or 'giving in' to the relief that pain meds can give. It may be simply that their pain level has increased.

Richard.

[treynor33]

Right on Scotsman. I think in my case it seems as if the original muscles had gotten better over time and with some meds and PT. But recently some new muscles have gotten involved that weren't before. It takes time to get used to "new" pain and discomfort.

My bladder region which was the first problem very rarely is involved at all, I think due to some external PT in that region.

Maybe beer doesn't bother you, but it might later, Maybe ejacuation is not painful for you, but it might be later. Maybe caffiene doesn't bother you, but it might later. Best thing to do is to avoid things like that if you can, just to make sure.

What I am saying is, don't do what I did, no matter how far you get, don't let your guard down. Be proactive not reactive. This crap is brutal and will remind you of that if you don't watch what you consume and your physical and mental state.

[CppsDad]

When I hurt my back in February, one of the most frustrating things is how the muscle spasms spread throughout the entire back, convincing me that I had done more damage to my back than I originally thought. My GP called this "recruitment". Muscles can recruit other muscles in their spasms. I'm guessing that a similar thing can happen with our chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome pain. You just have to stick with it, and hopefully one day all the muscles will be healed.

Sorry about your extended pain Richard!

Mike