Trigger Point Injections

A trigger point is a small focal area of the pain caused by inflammation and spasm in skeletal muscle. It may feel like a tender nodule or bump under the skin that when pressed, refers pain toward another area. A trigger point injection is an injection of an anesthetic (pain reliever), with or without corticosteroid (anti-inflammatory), directly into a trigger point. It is performed in the doctor’s office and used to reduce pain associated with chronic musculoskeletal processes like myofascial pain syndrome and fibromyalgia. They can create some local soreness or bruising that should resolve in a few days. This form of treatment is typically repeated weekly for 3-6 weeks, followed by manually based physical therapy.