Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is widely prevalent in the general population; some reports estimate its prevalence ranges from 9 to 85%. Among the different locations where MPS may arise, pain related to the masseter muscle is referred as masticatory myofascial pain. MPS is characterized by myofascial trigger points (MTPs), which represent tender anatomical areas of a muscle where painful symptoms are elicited whenever stimulated. Previous publications have found MTPs to coincide with neuromuscular junctions at the motor end plate, at the innervation zone (IZ). Our study aimed to describe the innervation of the masseter muscle and relate it to clinically described myofascial trigger points (MTPs).
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