What Is a Trigger Point Injection? What Kinds of Pain Can It Treat?
When you’re experiencing persistent pain, whether it’s the result of an accident, a degenerative condition, or simply the result of poor posture, it can make the simple pleasures of life difficult or impossible. You can use pharmaceutical products to temporarily mask your discomfort, or you may have a medical professional recommend an invasive surgical procedure, which could include substantial convalescence and may not provide much relief. There are, however, non-invasive procedures, such as trigger point injections, which can offer almost instantaneous abatement of your pain and help restore function to those areas debilitated by pain.
What Is a Trigger Point Injection?
A trigger point injection uses technology to inject a localized anesthetic into the tender area of muscle, known as fascia or myofascial, that forms around a muscle. Most people commonly refer to it as a “knot” a hard spot under the skin caused when the fascia contracts and sticks to itself. Often, in addition to pain at the location of the knot, there is “referred pain” where nearby nerves are affected. The anesthetic is often combined with some type of steroid, which acts as an anti-inflammatory.
What Types of Pain Can Be Treated with a Trigger Point Injection?
Trigger point injections are generally used to treat muscle pain. The muscle pain most commonly treated with trigger point injections includes discomfort:
- In your shoulder and the back of your neck, associated with the trapezius muscle
- In your hips, most often in the gluteus medius
- In your quadratus lumborum, located in your lower back
- In your jaws
- On the sides of your neck (levator scapulae) or head (temporalis)
- On the front of your neck (sternocleidomastoid)
The Importance of Accuracy in a Trigger Point Injection
Studies show that, without the right technology, medical professionals administering trigger point injections can miss the key location with about one in every four patients. That can limit the effectiveness of the injection and cause additional pain during the procedure. To ensure that a trigger point injection does what you want it to do, you want to work with a practice that offers x-ray and ultrasound guidance for injections. Core Medical Center offers that technology.
Contact Core Medical Center Today
Take action today to get immediate and effective treatment for chronic pain. At Core Medical Center, with offices in Blue Springs, Missouri, we offer non-surgical treatment options, including trigger point injections, to help treat chronic pain. To learn more, contact us online or call our offices at (816) 336-9970.
