Living with serious muscle pain associated with fibromyalgia or myofascial pain syndrome? The pain management specialists at Southwest Spine and Pain Center may have a solution for you. Trigger point injections are used to treat painful areas that contain trigger points. Meaning, if you have knots of muscle that cannot and will not relax, you’re probably experiencing a considerable amount of pain and tightness from trigger points in the muscle.
Remedying these tricky trigger points can come in the form of an injection that contains a local anesthetic or saline, with a possible corticosteroid. When injected, the trigger point is made “inactive” and the pain is quickly alleviated.
Sometimes, a needle with no medication is inserted into the trigger point. This is referred to as "dry needling” and can be just as helpful. The entire process only takes a few minutes and usually provides sustained relief. Following the procedure, you may feel sore and need an ice pack or massage to alleviate this pain.
Additionally, you may feel numbness in the area that was inject. This may last about an hour, which is completely normal. Ice, massage therapy and stretching exercises several days following the procedure are recommended.
Muscle pains on the body are not the only places trigger point injections are used. If you’re suffering from neck pain or tension headaches, trigger point injections can used to when over-the-counter and prescription strength pain relievers don’t help.
As with any therapy, there are side effects that can ensue from a trigger point injection. Bleeding, redness and swelling have been known to occur, and if they do, call our office immediately for an evaluation from one of our physicians.
Overall, if you’re experiencing muscle pain and are looking for a fairly quick fix, trigger point injections or dry needling might be the remedy you’ve been searching for. Call our office today to set-up an appointment and consult one of our highly-qualified physicians.
If chronic pain is impacting your life, don't wait to schedule an appointment at Southwest Spine and Pain Center. With three locations and growing, the pain management specialists at Southwest Spine and Pain Center are dedicated to helping those who suffer from chronic pain live the life they want to! To schedule an appointment, visit our locations tab!
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.
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