If you’re struggling with muscle pain that is related to myofascial trigger points, then trigger point injection (TPI) is a good option. It is generally safe and a common way to treat this type of pain, especially when conservative methods fail to produce any results. Learn about how the trigger point injection procedure takes place and its benefits and risks in this article. Visit the best Pain Management Clinic in Brooklyn at Doral Health & Wellness or log on to www.doralhw.org.

What are trigger point injections?

Trigger point injections are used to treat chronic muscle pain related to myofascial trigger points (highly sensitive bundles of tight bands of muscle that cause pain to touch/pressure), especially in the neck, shoulder, arms, legs, and lower back. This treatment involves injecting medication directly into myofascial trigger points. The doctor will choose which medicine works best for you based on the severity and underlying cause of the pain. Trigger point injections may include:

• A local anesthetic like lidocaine, which blocks the pain receptors in your muscles.
• A corticosteroid, which lowers inflammation in the muscle and connective tissue surrounding a nerve.
• Botulinum toxin A (Botox) which interferes with the nerve signaling pathways and prevents muscle contractions.

During the procedure, the doctor will insert a small needle into a myofascial trigger point and inject the medicine. Some people may experience an uncomfortable sensation when the doctor inserts the needle, and this feeling goes away when the muscle relaxes.

When are they recommended?

Your healthcare provider may recommend trigger point injections if your pain doesn’t get better with other treatments, including over-the-counter pain medication, heat therapy, massage therapy, myofascial release, and physical therapy. Providers generally use trigger point injections alongside physical therapy and stretching exercises to improve the pain. This technique is particularly beneficial when a trigger point injection is initially used to lower pain in people who are unable to do physical therapy or stretch due to intense pain. The trigger point injection helps physical therapy to be more effective. That’s why your healthcare provider recommends a physical exam to rule out other potential causes of your pain before a trigger point injection, including:

• Muscle strain
• Structural causes of pain.
• Problems with your spinal column that cause back pain, such as degenerative arthritis, a herniated disk, or spinal stenosis.
• Radiculopathy (pain from a pinched nerve).

What to expect before, during, and after the procedure?

For the trigger point injection procedure, you don’t need to prepare anything special. However, you should discuss your current medications, symptoms, and overall health with the provider before the procedure.

During the procedure, your healthcare provider may follow these steps:

• Depending on the trigger point location, you may need to sit or lie down on an exam table.
• Your provider may mark the trigger point with a marker. Once the trigger point is identified by feeling it, they’ll pinch the point between their fingers and stabilize the tissue. This may make you feel uncomfortable.
• Now, the doctor inserts a thin needle attached to a syringe into the trigger point and rhythmically continues needling the area by repeatedly inserting and retracting the needle without completely removing the needle from the muscle or your skin. You may feel a spasm or twitch in the muscle.
• Your provider will continue the motion in multiple directions until the muscle twitching stops or you feel relaxed.
• Your provider will inject the area with a local anesthetic with or without other medicine like corticosteroids or botulinum toxin. Your doctor then applies the bandage, and you can go home.

After the procedure, you can go home and actively use the affected muscle, but don’t do any strenuous activity for the first few days.

Benefits and risks

Trigger point injection offers several benefits, such as:

• It is a safe, minimally invasive procedure.
• It not only relieves pain but also significantly improves range of motion and overall muscle functionality.
• It can work well with other conservative treatments like over-the-counter pain medication and physical therapy.

It is generally safe and carries a minimal risk of complications. The most common side effects you may experience are temporary discomfort and numbness around the injection site, which is manageable with medications your doctor prescribes. You can apply ice packs to injection sites to lower the risk of bruising.

Rarely, you may develop complications from trigger point injections, which include the following:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Bruising
• Allergic reaction to the anesthetic agent
• Vascular injury.

How long do they last?

The pain relief from trigger point injections starts between 24 to 72 hours after the trigger point injection procedure. Pain relief can last for a month. If you’re still experiencing pain after this time, your healthcare provider may recommend getting additional injections to achieve long-term pain relief.

When should you call your doctor?

If you are experiencing any signs of infection after receiving the trigger point injection, like a fever or warmth at the site of the injection, then you should call your doctor.

Trigger point injections are a safe and common option to treat myofascial pain caused by trigger points when other conservative treatment methods fail to produce results. This procedure may be temporarily painful, but it relieves your pain and improves functionality for a month or longer. It also works well with other conservative treatments to give you better results. Make sure you discussits benefits and risks before considering this treatment.

Need help with pain management? Visit our pain management clinic in Brooklyn to get professional medical help. Call us to book your appointment now!!! Our location at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212 is well-served by public transportation, including many bus routes, and the subway line. Visit our website at https://doralhw.org/department/pain-management/ or contact us on +1-347-384-5690 for additional details.