Trigger point injections (TPI) are a pain treatment option available to some patients. They are mainly used to soothe muscle pain, but can also be used to help treat fibromyalgia, tension headaches, or myofascial pain. A trigger point is a knot of muscles that occur when muscles are unable to relax. You can often feel them underneath the skin. These knots can cause pain in the nerves surrounding them or referred pains, which are felt in other parts of the body.
Is Trigger Point Injection a Good Option For You?
Trigger point injections are typically recommended when a patient has a painful trigger point causing chronic pain that has not been relieved through other standard pain management options such as physical therapy or chiropractic adjustments. They are especially suggested when pain radiates from the trigger point to surrounding areas.
What is the Procedure Like?
Your chiropractor can administer trigger point injections. You will either sit or lie down for the procedure. Your doctor will start pressing around the muscle you typically feel the pain to locate the proper area to administer the injection. A small needle is then inserted into the area(s), injecting a mixture of anesthetics or steroids. You may receive multiple injections during one visit, and the procedure usually only takes a few minutes.
How Often Will You Need to Get Trigger Point Injections?
Ideally, the pain experienced will be resolved after one completed procedure. This may occur when there was only one isolated trigger point causing pain or when the trigger point has since been removed (for example, if the repetitive movement causing pain is no longer a factor or there was trauma that has healed).
Unfortunately, trigger points that are caused by chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia or myofascial pain syndrome tend to recur. In these cases, your chiropractor may suggest trigger point injection therapy on a regular or as needed basis. The frequency of visits depends on the medication being injected. If the injection only contains anesthetics, you may have them administered as frequently as every month. If the mixture contained steroids, injections will be recommended less often, and frequency is something you should discuss with your chiropractor because of tissue damage or shrinkage that can occur from the medication.
Are There Any Risks or Side Effects?
Rest assured, the risk or complications from a trigger point injection is very low. You may experience temporary numbness or soreness at the injection site, but that is entirely normal and goes away quickly. In rare cases, there may be some pain around the injection site, but this is very uncommon. The pain would typically not last more than a few days.
Contact InnovaMed Today!
If you’re living in chronic pain, know that you don’t have to. If other treatment options have not worked, trigger point injections are an excellent option to consider. For the best chiropractor in the Durham, NC area, give InnovaMed a call to schedule a consultation and determine eligibility to try trigger point injection therapy. We would love to help relieve your pain today!