Fasciitis simply means fascia inflammation, which can be cause for severe pain. Fascia is a fibrous connective tissue that envelops, separates or binds together muscles, organs and other soft structures in your body.
Fascia inflammation may be caused by an infection (often streptococcal bacterial infection), an injury, an autoimmune reaction or rheumatic disease (Reiter’s syndrome, ankylosing spondylitis)
The most common type of fasciitis is plantar fasciitis, which causes heel pain. Although fascia inflammation does not only cause annoying foot problems as there are other forms, such as:
- necrotizing fasciitis
- proliferative fasciitis
- eosinophilic fasciitis
- nodular fasciitis, aka pseudosarcomatous fasciitis
Myofascial pain is a condition that can involve fascia because its trigger points (aka muscle knots) can cause fasciitis. And a targeted massage can often offer pain relief for this type of minor fascia inflammation.