Trigger Point Injection
A trigger point injection helps in relieving myofascial pain that mostly hits the neck, shoulder, arms, legs, and lower back. Specifically, trigger point injection is a procedure to treat painful muscle areas that contain trigger points or knots that develop when the muscles do not relax. In other words, trigger points are knots developed in the muscle that can be quickly responsive to touch or pressure. These trigger points may become active after trauma or by repetitive microtrauma, which results in stress or muscle fibers. In fact, it can be felt while rubbing the muscle. As a result, it may cause the muscle fiber to be stuck in a contracted state.
Trigger point injections are mostly injections of local anesthesia with or without corticosteroid, botulinum toxin, or sometimes dry needling, which is without any injection substance.
Understand the use of Trigger point injection
Trigger point injection is used to treat myofascial pain. If we understand the meaning of the word, here ‘myo’ means ‘muscle’ and ‘fascial’ means ‘fascia’. Fascia is a very light layer of thin white connective tissue that is covered around every muscle.
Due to one or more trigger points it causes pain and tenderness in myofascial points. While feeling the trigger points, it felt like small bumps, nodules or knots in the muscle.
Trigger points have no limited area, it can form in any muscle, the most common areas where they are triggered are and treated with trigger point injection include:
- Levator scapulae ( a muscle in the side of the neck)
- Masseter ( a muscle in the jaw)
- Gluteus medius ( a muscle in the hip)
- Quadratus lumborum ( muscle in the lower back)
- Sternocleidomastoid ( a muscle in the front of the neck)
- Trapezius ( the muscle that extends towards the neck and shoulder over the back)
- Temporalis ( a muscle on the side of the head)
Trigger points can affect and cause pain and issues with different types. Such as trigger points affecting trapezius muscle may cause headaches. When the trigger point affects the piriformis it causes piriformis syndrome that presses the muscle on the sciatic nerve. This may cause numbness and pain to the back of the leg.
Trigger Point Injections: When They're Recommended and What They Treat
A trigger point injection in India is only recommended when other alternative treatments fail to relieve pain, such as medication, heel therapy, massage, and physical therapy. In some cases, doctors may use trigger point injection in combination with physical therapy and some suggested exercises that relieve pain more efficiently. For example, people doing exercises and taking trigger point injections along with physical therapy can reduce severe pain.
Trigger point injection is recommended only after analyzing the condition by physically examining the patient, and also to find out other causes of pain, if any. These causes may include:
- Muscle strain
- Structural causes of pain
- Back pain due to problems with the spinal column, such as degenerative arthritis, herniated disk, or spinal stenosis
- Radiculopathy
Trigger Point Injection Procedure: Step-by-Step Overview
- First of all the doctor will find out the exact location of the trigger point, depending upon the trigger point will be further treated.
- The surgeon will mark the trigger point with a marker pen on the skin.
- After identifying the trigger point touch, it will be pinched to raise and stabilize the tissue using their fingers.
- Then the doctor will clean the area with an alcohol pad.
- Surgeon will insert a needle connected with a syringe into the trigger point and continue needing the affected area repeatedly.
- Once the muscle spasms or twitches. The doctor will do it in different directions till the twitching has stopped or the muscle feels relaxed.
- Lastly, the doctor will inject the affected area with local anesthetic with or without corticosteroid or botulinum toxin.
- The procedure is completed here.
Cost of trigger point injection in India
India is one of the leading countries in providing medical care. The cost of trigger point injection in India is affordable and significantly cheaper compared to many western countries.
However, the overall cost of the treatment may vary depending on several factors. These factors include the surgeon’s expertise, the type of implant, the location of the hospital, and more.
Summary
A trigger point injection helps in relieving myofascial pain that mostly hits the neck, shoulder, arms, legs, and lower back.
If we understand the meaning of the word, here ‘myo’ means ‘muscle’ and ‘fascial’ means ‘fascia’. Fascia is a very light layer of thin white connective tissue that is covered around every muscle.
