Trigger point injections (TPI) are considered an effective option for treating pain in a majority of patients. The procedure is used to treat muscle areas that contain knots of muscle or trigger points. These knots are usually felt under the skin of the individual. It happens when the muscles don’t relax. These points could irritate the nerves in the area that could result in pain felt in another part of his/her body or referred pain. This article provides information on the benefits of trigger point injections for pain management.
Your healthcare professional will insert a tiny needle into your trigger points. Such an injection may contain saline, corticosteroid, and a local anesthetic. The solution will numb the trigger point thereby alleviating the pain. The injections are usually given in your healthcare provider’s office and will take only a few minutes. Your doctor is the best person to decide on the length of time to give the injection in order to relieve the pain altogether.
Several sites of pain can be injected during one visit to your healthcare provider. The muscle groups in your arms, lower back, legs, and neck are targeted for these injections. The treatment method can be used to treat a variety of other conditions such as tension headaches, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome, and a host of other illnesses.
Post-injection pain is a side effect of this procedure. Although it is relatively uncommon, it can happen at times. Such a pain will resolve itself within a few days. This pain is more common with dry-needling (no medicine is injected into the trigger point). There are many over the counter medications such as naproxen sodium, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, ice, and heat packs to relieve the discomfort and pain associated with the side effect.
On the other hand, when a steroid is injected into the TP (trigger point), the fat layer under your skin could shrink over time. This can result in a dent in the skin. This side effect will not occur when only an anesthetic is injected into the point. Other side effects associated with the procedure include needle punctures, bleeding, and various infections.
Most often, a trigger point will resolve after one injection. But if you have more than one trigger point, you may require continuing the medication for a certain period of time. Your healthcare provider is the best person to decide on the duration of the treatment. Trigger points caused by chronic illnesses such as myofascial pain syndrome and fibromyalgia could recur due to the underlying issue.
The frequency of the injection may depend on the medication used for the treatment. If a steroid is being used for the treatment, the length of treatment should be much longer to prevent shrinkage or tissue damage. These are important things to consider during the TPI procedure.
TPIs are quite effective to relieve muscle pain and discomfort. The procedure treats areas that have knots of muscle or trigger points.
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