Posterior auricular pain caused by the trigger points in the sternocleidomastoid muscle aggravated by psychological factors -A case report-

Korean J Anesthesiol. 2010 Dec;59 Suppl(Suppl):S229-32. doi: 10.4097/kjae.2010.59.S.S229. Epub 2010 Dec 31.

Abstract

Psychological factors play a significant role in the pain mechanism, and psychological approaches may be useful complements to traditional medical and surgical treatments in pain management. The authors report a case of recurrent severe posterior auricular pain caused by trigger points in the right sternocleidomastoid muscle and influenced by stressful psychological situations (e.g., family affairs, job loss) in a 50-year-old man.

Keywords: Myofascial pain syndrome; Posterior auricular pain; Psycological factor; Sternocleidomastoid muscle; Trigger point injection.