Trigger Point Injections Specialist

What are trigger points?

Trigger points are small spots of painful muscle fibers that you can usually feel just under your skin. They occur after repeated tensing of the muscle. The trigger point irritates the surrounding nerves and causes pain to radiate outward.

Many people develop trigger points, especially those who live with chronic stress or perform activities where they frequently tense their muscles.

It’s often possible to manage these painful spots with physical therapy or therapeutic massage. However, some people suffer from severe trigger point pain that doesn’t respond to such treatments. For these patients, Metro Anesthesia & Pain Management offers trigger point injections.

What are trigger point injections?

Trigger point injections contain steroid medication and a local anesthetic. Steroids like cortisone have a potent anti-inflammatory effect that calms the inflammation in your trigger points. As the inflammation subsides, pain levels also fall.

Steroids are long-acting, so you could benefit from your trigger point injections for several months. The local anesthetic in your trigger point injection lasts a much shorter time but does give you total relief from your pain.

Your provider can deliver trigger point injections into any muscle tissue. Most commonly, patients require injections in the muscles of the neck, arms, lower back, and legs.

Metro Anesthesia & Pain Management offers trigger point injections in an office-based setting. This convenient environment saves you money on co-pays and deductibles.

What happens when I have trigger point injections?

Your provider at Metro Anesthesia & Pain Management uses a fine gauge needle to do your trigger point injections, so you shouldn’t feel much discomfort. 

Applying pressure to the muscle after a trigger point injection helps it relax. The injection site might be a bit tender afterward, but this should quickly wear off.

Depending on how many trigger points you’ve got and their severity, you might need several injections during your treatment session. 

You should find your pain goes away almost instantly as the local anesthetic takes effect. Although this wears off after a few hours, the trigger points should still be less painful than before the injections.

Patients with persistent pain could benefit from having further trigger point injections.

If you have painful, knotted spots muscles, talk to Metro Anesthesia & Pain Management about your suitability for trigger point injections. Call the office today or book an appointment online.