Trigger Point Injections

If you’re struggling with intense pain in a particular point within your muscles, are experiencing muscle contractions, or have pain that occurs at random parts of your body, you may have what is known as a trigger point. At Commonwealth Pain & Spine, the team of board-certified physicians can evaluate your symptoms and provide you with trigger point injections if they find that you are dealing with one or more trigger points. Call the office nearest you today to learn more. Commonwealth Pain & Spine conveniently has offices throughout Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois.

What are the benefits of a trigger point injection?

A trigger point injection can provide numerous benefits to anyone dealing with intense pain at particular points in their muscles, nerves, or elsewhere within their musculoskeletal system.

Trigger point injections can help soothe and relieve muscle pain, nerve irritation, muscle spasms, and referred pain, which is pain that is felt at different parts of the body other than the injured or originating site. Additionally, trigger point injections can also improve range of motion, strength, flexibility, and function in the affected area.

What is a trigger point injection?

A trigger point injection is a medical procedure used to treat chronic muscle pain related to irritated or inflamed myofascial trigger points. A trigger point is a hyperirritable spot located in tightly stretched bands of muscle in your body, known as fascia. Trigger points often occur with chronic musculoskeletal conditions and are typically painful upon direct pressure or compression, muscle contractions, or stretching of the affected muscle.

Trigger point injections can involve the administration of various types of medication into such trigger points. The types of medications administered with trigger point injections can include a local anesthetic, such as lidocaine for blocking pain receptors in the muscles; a corticosteroid for reducing inflammation in the muscle and tissues surrounding a nerve; or botulinum toxin A, commonly known as Botox®, to disrupt nerve signals between the trigger point and brain and prevent muscle contractions in the affected area, as a result.

Trigger point injections can also include a combination of a corticosteroid and local anesthetic for maximum pain relief and reduced inflammation.

How is a trigger point injection done?

A trigger point injection procedure is performed with the patient sitting or lying down in a medical chair or padded table. Your physician will press on the muscles in the affected area to determine the precise location of the trigger point.

After the trigger point has been located, the doctor will administer the trigger point injection containing a steroid, local anesthetic, Botox, or a mixture of a steroid and local anesthetic with a small needle into the trigger point. This process should not take longer than a few minutes to complete, nor should it cause significant discomfort.

After the injection is administered, you should be able to use the muscle freely. There is no downtime or recovery period with trigger point injections, so you should be able to return to work the next day without any complications. With that being said, your doctor may recommend that you avoid strenuous activity over the next couple of days.

What do trigger point injections treat?

There is a broad range of conditions and injuries that are often associated with trigger points. As a result, trigger point injections can be used to treat numerous musculoskeletal disorders and injuries, such as the following:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Fibromyalgia
• Lower back pain
• Migraines and tension headaches
• Motor vehicle accident injuries
• Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS)
• Osteoarthritis
• Sciatica
• Sports injuries
• Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain or syndrome

 

For more information about trigger point injections or to schedule an appointment with a physician at Commonwealth Pain & Spine, call the office nearest you today.