What Are Trigger Point Injections?

Persistent muscle pain can sometimes come from small, highly sensitive areas within the muscle known as trigger points.

These areas may feel like knots or tight bands and can cause pain directly at the site or refer discomfort into nearby parts of the body.

Trigger point injections are one treatment option used to address this type of myofascial pain.

What Causes Trigger Points?

Trigger points can develop when muscles remain tense, overloaded, or irritated.

Contributing factors may include repetitive movement, prolonged sitting, poor posture, athletic activity, muscle imbalance, previous injury, stress related muscle tension, or underlying joint and spine conditions.

A painful muscle may also begin compensating for another injured area, creating a cycle of tightness and discomfort.

Where Do Trigger Points Commonly Occur?

Trigger points can develop throughout the body but are particularly common in the neck, shoulders, upper back, lower back, and gluteal muscles.

Patients may experience muscle aching, stiffness, reduced mobility, headaches, or pain that travels away from the original trigger point.

What Happens During a Trigger Point Injection?

During the procedure, a small needle is carefully placed into the painful portion of the muscle.

Depending on the treatment plan, an injectable medication or solution may be used. Treating the trigger point may help reduce muscle pain and allow the affected area to move more comfortably.

Trigger point injections can often be performed in the office and are generally part of a larger treatment strategy.

Is Treating the Trigger Point Enough?

Not always.

Trigger points frequently develop because of another contributing factor. If poor posture, muscle weakness, repetitive activity, or an underlying spine or joint condition continues to overload the muscle, symptoms may return.

For this reason, treatment may also include physical therapy, strengthening, mobility work, ergonomic changes, and treatment of any underlying pain generator.

At Ospina Medical, the goal is not simply to identify where a muscle hurts, but to understand why that muscle became painful in the first place.