Trigger Point Injections
What is a Trigger Point Injection?
Trigger point injections (TPI) are a pain management treatment for painful knots of muscle that form when muscles do not relax. During the TPI procedure, a practitioner inserts a small needle containing a local anesthetic into the patient’s trigger point. The injection will render the trigger point inactive and alleviate pain in due course of time.
Medical experts use trigger point injections to treat chronic pain in your arms, lower back, legs, and neck. If you get frequent tension headaches or suffer from myofascial pain syndrome or fibromyalgia, TPI can help relieve your pain. However, it’s recommended you let your provider know beforehand if you’re allergic to certain substances. The specialist may use a dry-needle technique to alleviate your stress in such cases.
The injections are administered in out office and don’t take longer than a few minutes. Depending on the trigger point location, the provider may ask patients to sit or lie down. Our medical professional will then locate the trigger point and administer the injection. They may also decide to inject several painful areas of your body.
It’s usual to experience some side effects such as soreness or numbness at the injection site after receiving your injection. These effects fade on their own within a few days. If you’re worried about any risks associated with TPI, talk to our healthcare providers at Square One Health. They will answer all your doubts and ease your concerns.
Difference Between Trigger Point and Joint Injections
Both trigger point injections and joint injections are non-surgical and provide long-term pain relief to patients. However, there are a few differences between them.
While trigger point injections block muscle spasms and break the pain cycle, joint injections deliver anti-inflammatory medication into the damaged joint to reduce inflammation and pain.
You need to consider a trigger point injection when your muscles are constantly spasming or chronically tense. These muscles can grow inflamed and irritated and lead to more spasms. A trigger point injection temporarily blocks the muscle’s ability to contract and helps it relax. Conversely, joint injections are designed to block the pain signals received by a joint to provide long-term pain relief.
Our healthcare experts at Square One Health can help you figure out which treatment will benefit your condition. Book a consultation with them today!