Treatments > Myofascial Trigger Point Injection Therapy

Your Path to Pain-Free Living

If you are dealing with persistent muscle pain, tightness, or reduced range of motion, you are not alone. Myofascial trigger points, often characterized by localized muscle knots, can hinder daily activities and impact your overall well-being.

Myofascial trigger point injections are a specialized medical procedure designed to address the discomfort and limitations associated with myofascial pain syndrome. Whether you are seeking relief from chronic pain or aiming to enhance rehabilitation efforts, these injections can lead to a more pain-free and active lifestyle.

Myofascial Trigger Point Injections

Trigger point injections can help soothe myofascial pain, especially in your neck, shoulders, arms, legs, and lower back.

Myofascial pain refers to a chronic condition that affects your muscles and the thin connective tissue surrounding them.

Trigger points are painful “knots” in your muscles that can be very sensitive to touch or pressure. They may form after acute trauma or by repetitive microtrauma, leading to stress on muscle fibers. It causes the muscle fibers to be stuck in a contracted state.

Trigger point injections commonly involve injections of local anesthetic with or without corticosteroid, botulinum toxin, or through dry needling, which is without any injection substance.

Help Treat Myofascial Pain

Healthcare providers use trigger point injections to help treat myofascial pain. “Myo” means muscle and “fascial” means fascia, which refers to the thin, white connective tissue that is wrapped around every muscle.

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Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS)

Trigger point injections are commonly used to manage the pain associated with MPS, a condition characterized by the presence of trigger points in muscles.

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Muscle Spasms

Trigger point injections can help relax muscles and relieve spasms, which can be particularly beneficial for individuals experiencing chronic muscle tightness.

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Tension Headaches

Trigger points in the neck and shoulder muscles can contribute to tension headaches. Injections in these areas may help alleviate headache symptoms.

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Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia refers to a chronic health condition that causes pain and tenderness throughout your body. Some individuals with this condition may benefit from trigger point injections to manage localized pain and muscle stiffness.

Benefits of Myofascial Trigger Point Injections

Myofascial trigger point injections offer many benefits for individuals experiencing pain and muscle tension associated with trigger points.

Pain Relief

The primary goal of trigger point injections is to provide relief from localized pain. The injection of a local anesthetic and, in some cases, a corticosteroid into the trigger point can help alleviate pain and discomfort.

Muscle Relaxation

Trigger points are often associated with muscle spasms and tightness. The injection of a muscle relaxant can help ease muscle tension and improve flexibility.

Reduction of Headaches

Trigger points in the neck and shoulder muscles can contribute to tension headaches. Injections in these areas may help reduce headache frequency and intensity.

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How Myofascial Trigger Point Injections Work

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Identifying the Trigger Point

Depending on the location of the trigger point on your body, you may be sitting or laying down on an exam table. Your healthcare provider will cleanse your skin on the affected area with an alcohol pad, and may then mark the trigger point with a skin marker.

Relaxing the Muscles

Once your healthcare provider has identified the trigger point by feeling it, they will pinch the point between their fingers and stabilize the tissue. This may feel uncomfortable.

They will then insert a thin needle attached to a syringe into the trigger point and rhythmically continue needling the area by repeatedly inserting and retracting the needle without completely withdrawing the needle from the muscle or your skin.

You will most likely feel your muscle spasm or twitch. Your provider will continue the motion in multiple directions until the muscle twitching has stopped or until the muscle feels adequately relaxed.

Injecting the Local Anesthetic

Finally, your healthcare provider will then inject the area with a local anesthetic, either with or without corticosteroid or botulinum toxin. The procedure will be over and you will be able to go home.

Reasons to Get a Myofascial Trigger Point Injection

Individuals may consider getting myofascial trigger point injections if they are experiencing symptoms associated with myofascial pain syndrome or other conditions characterized by trigger points.

Alleviate Pain and Muscle Tightness

Most individuals opt for myofascial trigger point injections in order to alleviate pain associated with myofascial pain syndrome. This can include localized pain in muscles, which may be chronic or result from acute injuries. Additionally, trigger points often coincide with muscle spasms and tightness. Injections can help relax the affected muscles and reduce spasms, leading to improved comfort and flexibility.

Limited Range of Motion

Individuals experiencing restrictions in their range of motion due to muscle tightness or trigger points may seek trigger point injections to help restore normal movement and flexibility.

Chronic Pain Conditions

Trigger point injections may be considered for managing chronic pain conditions, such as chronic back pain or fibromyalgia, where trigger points contribute to the overall discomfort.

FAQ

Who should get a trigger point injection?

A myofascial trigger point injection may be right for you if your trigger point pain has not improved with other treatments, such as over-the-counter pain medication, heat therapy, massage therapy, and physical therapy.

Healthcare providers typically use trigger point injections alongside physical therapy and stretching exercises to alleviate the pain. However, before they can recommend a trigger point injection, they will need to perform a thorough physical exam and rule out other possible causes of your pain, including:

Muscle strain
Issues with your spinal column causing back pain, such as degenerative arthritis, a herniated disk, or spinal stenosis
Radiculopathy (pain from a pinched nerve)
Structural causes of pain

How common are trigger point injections?

Myofascial pain and trigger points are very common. They occur in about 85% of individuals at some point in their lives.

Many healthcare providers diagnose and treat myofascial pain regularly, which may include trigger point injections and/or physical therapy and stretching exercises.

How can I prepare for a trigger point injection?

There are no specific steps to follow in order to prepare for a trigger point injection. However, just like any other treatment, it is important to discuss your current medications, symptoms and overall health with your provider before getting the procedure.

Are trigger point injections painful?

Trigger points are usually painful to the touch, so you will likely experience some pain when your healthcare provider is manually locating the trigger point before the injection.

You may feel a stinging and burning sensation when your provider inserts the needle and medication. When the tip of the needle touches the trigger point, you may feel a slight increase in your pain. Although this may be uncomfortable, this pain is a good sign that the needle is in the correct spot.

Are there any risks or side effects of trigger point injections?

Trigger point injections are typically safe and have a low risk of complications. The most common side effect is temporary discomfort or numbness around the injection site. Your healthcare provider may recommend treating this with medications such as Tylenol® or Advil®. You can also apply ice packs to injection sites to reduce the risk of bruising.

Rare complications of trigger point injections can include the following:

Bleeding
Infection
Bruising
Allergic reaction to the anesthetic agent
Vascular (vein) injury