Myofascial pain in the adolescent.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Whereas in the recent past pain in the child and adolescent was directed to cancer management, there is increasing interest in pain in children and adolescents in relation to nonmalignant conditions. Additionally, there is an emerging literature related to disorders of myofascial function as a cause of pain.

RECENT FINDINGS: Pain associated with myofascial dysfunction is common in the adolescent female. Pain in this group of women has been shown to extend into adulthood. Although there has been attention directed to the management of endometriosis through laparoscopic surgical approaches, these are seen as limiting. Myofascial dysfunction is now regarded as an important factor in the evaluation of adolescent pain. One of the most important approaches to the reduction of severe pain in the adolescent is the complete menstrual suppression through use of continuous oral contraceptives or contraceptive rings. Operative laparoscopy has been heavily utilized but there are increasing concerns about the overutilization of this procedure

SUMMARY: Alternative approaches to myofascial pain include multidisciplinary care with a rehabilitative perspective.