Trigger point injections are a safe and effective treatment for chronic pain conditions, such as myofascial pain syndrome, fibromyalgia, tension headaches, and musculoskeletal pain. The risk of complications associated with these injections is very low, and the most common side effects are numbness or pain at the injection site. These side effects usually resolve within a few days. Your provider uses a small needle to insert the contents of the injection directly into the specific area where the trigger point is located.
For more information on trigger point injections or to schedule an appointment with a pain management specialist, contact National Spine & Pain Centers today. In myofascial pain syndrome, trigger points stimulate pain responses in apparently unrelated parts of the body. Once stabilized, with the dominant hand, the doctor will insert the needle connected to the 5 or 10 ml syringe at an angle of 30 degrees at the activation point and will continue to rhythmically tap the area by inserting and retracting the needle repeatedly without completely removing the needle from the muscle. Trigger points usually form in patterns all over the body, usually in places where blood circulation is already low.
If you use a topical anesthetic spray, be sure to anesthetize the trigger points before starting the procedure. The researchers found a significantly higher number of myofascial trigger points in the group with migraine. That said, myofascial trigger points and fibromyalgia cause similar pain profiles, and some researchers believe that myofascial trigger points contribute to fibromyalgia pain. Trigger point injections can be an effective primary or complementary therapy aimed at reducing pain in the musculoskeletal system. By focusing on specific points in myofascial pain, doctors can directly treat pathological tissue, address the patient's pain generator, and break the pain cycle with few or no side effects.
Patients can have a significant improvement in range of motion and overall functionality without needing to take pain medications. Significant results can be achieved with injections at the trigger point and should be considered as a treatment modality in the appropriate setting. If you are receiving physical therapy, trigger point injections have been shown to improve the overall performance and efficiency of these programs. Trigger point injections relieve pain for people who have been suffering from pain associated with trigger points and who haven't found relief with more conservative treatments, such as pain relievers or physical therapy. You're also more likely to suffer from trigger points if you work at a desk, sit in an uncomfortable chair, or do manual work with poor posture. However, trigger point injections are still one of the most effective treatments for deactivating trigger points and provide almost immediate relief.