What is Trigger Point Injection?
A trigger point injection, or TPI, is a medical procedure used to relieve severe muscle pain caused by “trigger points”. Trigger points are hardened knots of muscle that occur as a result of the muscles inability to relax; these knots, or trigger points, often irritate the surrounding nerves and cause pain that can radiate to other areas of the body.
How Do Trigger Pain Injections Help?
TPIs relax the muscle by injecting a small combination of anaesthetic, saline, and/or corticosteroid medication into the trigger point, causing the knot to release and the associated pain to subside.
When Are Trigger Point Injections Administered?
Trigger point injections can be used to relieve pain caused by trigger points in nearly any muscle; however, the procedure is most commonly used in the muscles of the arms, legs, neck, and lower back. Physicians might also use TPI as a way to relieve pain and discomfort associated with fibromyalgia and various types of headaches.
An increasing amount of physicians are also considering TPI’s effectiveness in the treatment of Myofascial pain syndrome that has not responded to other methods of treatment.
How is a Trigger Point Injection Administered?
Trigger point injections only takes a few minutes and are administered in the doctor’s office by a healthcare professional using the same procedures associated with any intramuscular injection. TPIs are typically associated with short-term courses of treatment, meaning the procedure is effective in relieving discomfort after one, or a few, treatments. In addition, TPIs can be administered to several trigger points in a single doctor’s visit.
What are the Risks Associated with Trigger Point Injections?
TPIs are considered to be a very low risk procedure with risks or complications considered to be post-injection pain commonly associated with any type of intramuscular injection. Should post-injection pain occur, the pain typically goes away in a day or two and can be treated with OTC pain medication.
How Often are Trigger Point Injections Required?
Many TPIs are effective in relieving pain associated with acute trigger point pain after just one injection. Trigger points resulting from Fibromyalgia or other chronic pain conditions often require TPIs on a regular basis and in order to provide sustained pain relief from trigger point pain and discomfort.
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