Depending on the cause of your pain, a simple outpatient procedure called a trigger point injection may provide relief. These injections can help with conditions such as fibromyalgia, tension headaches, plantar fasciitis, tendonitis, and more.
Trigger point injections target knots of muscle or connective tissue (fascia tissue) that don’t relax and can irritate the tissue and nerves around them. These knotted areas, called trigger points, can often be felt under the skin.
They can cause what is called “referred pain” in other parts of the body. If you have a trigger point and your doctor presses on it, you may feel the pain elsewhere. They can be treated by injecting a mix of local anesthetic and corticosteroid into the trigger point.
At Tulsa Pain Consultants, some of the conditions we use trigger point injections to treat include:
- Fibromyalgia
- Myofascial or muscular pain
- Neck pain
- Tension headaches
- Tendonitis
- Bicep pain cause by inflammation or degeneration and chronic overuse
- Hip and shoulder bursitis
- Plantar fasciitis
- Pain on the inside of the knee
- Sciatica pain caused by tightness in the piriformis muscle
If our medical team determines that you could benefit from a trigger point injection, you’ll undergo a simple procedure that takes only a few minutes. First, we’ll identify the trigger point and clean the area. Then we will inject the anesthetic-corticosteroid mixture into the trigger point. We’ll apply a small bandage, and after a short recovery period, you’ll be able to go home.
Depending on your individual case, we may recommend exercise, physical therapy, and/or a change in activities to help release the trigger point and prevent it from coming back.
If you think you may benefit from trigger point injections, please give us a call. We can talk about that and other ways we can help you manage your pain.
Tulsa Pain is a pain management practice in Oklahoma that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain. We are dedicated to helping those who are suffering find the relief they deserve. Our team uses a balanced approach by incorporating minimally invasive, outpatient procedures, complementary and alternative medicine, and medication to help patients take control of their pain. Call 918-742-7030 or click here to Request an Appointment to meet with one of our talented pain management specialists today!
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.
