Trigger Point injections are becoming increasingly popular due to their ability to provide immediate pain relief and better range of motion for people with chronic muscle pain. The frequency of these injections depends on the type of medication they contain, and the side effects vary depending on the medication. Anesthetics can be injected at intervals of one month, while steroid medications cannot be injected as often due to their complications. The effect of a steroid on trigger-point injections can last from several weeks to several months.
The most common side effect is mild discomfort around the injection site, which can be easily treated with Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprofen). Applying heat and ice to the affected area may also help. This pain is normal and should go away on its own one week after the injection at the trigger point. Pain, swelling, and tenderness near the injection site usually go away after a few hours.
If any side effects do not resolve within a few weeks, contact your doctor. Trigger point injections may contain corticosteroids, which may or may not be mixed with anesthetics. Trigger points are very tender, tight knots or bands of muscle or connective tissue that cause pain. People who suffer from trigger point pain may experience muscle spasms, weakness, and pain in other parts of the body, such as eye pain and headaches or migraines. Intramuscular injections are for medications that people must inject into a muscle rather than into the bloodstream or adipose tissue.
Trigger point injections can treat chronic muscle pain related to myofascial trigger points, which are bundles of very sensitive fibers in tight muscle bands. Trigger point injections can help relieve symptoms of myofascial pain syndrome, a chronic pain condition that affects muscles and surrounding tissue. Trigger point injections can immediately relieve pain and increase mobility for people with chronic muscle pain, but some people find that results take several days or weeks to appear. Trigger point injections are given to inactivate trigger points, resulting in rapid relief from chronic pain. Doctors use trigger point injections to treat chronic muscle pain and other problems affecting the musculoskeletal system. Trigger points in the shoulders, neck and head may contribute to migraine and tension headache disorders, according to the American Migraine Foundation.
In myofascial pain syndrome, trigger points stimulate pain responses in apparently unrelated parts of the body. Trigger point injections are a minor medical procedure that can be repeated as needed to maintain pain relief. Each person responds differently to injections at the trigger point, and the timing of the injection's action varies from person to person. It is important for people to understand what they are receiving and why it will help them before undergoing this procedure.