Trigger point injections treat trigger points and provide patients with rapid pain relief. A trigger point refers to a “knot” in the muscle characterized by the following:
Trigger points arise due to acute trauma or repeated microtrauma that puts stress on muscle fibers, resulting in “knots”. A major cause of pain and dysfunction, trigger points irritate the nerve, leading to referred pain in another part of the body. Patients may suffer from one or several trigger points throughout the body.
Trigger point injections alleviate pain by inactivating trigger points. During the procedure, a healthcare professional inserts a small needle into the trigger point and injects a local anesthetic, saline, and/or corticosteroid. The procedure lasts a few minutes and may be performed multiple times in a single visit.