TRIGGER POINT INJECTIONS

Trigger points are knots in a muscle that have developed from an injury or strain. These points are painful and sensitive to pressure. They cause pain in the local area and in distant areas, this is known as ‘referred pain’. Imagine the muscle as being made up of many elastic bands. When a few of the bands are injured a knot sometimes develops in this elastic band. Some of them heal easily while others do not resolve and continue to cause pain.When this occurs they are called Trigger Points. Even though the muscle (elastic band) is stretched, the knot does not change. Thus, when you move an injured muscle through a range of movement, you are unable to do so without discomfort.

These knots are also highly electrically charged, have decreased oxygen supply and release many chemicals in the muscle which further aggravate the problem. Once these knots are released the muscle regains its normal elasticity, thereby relieving the pain.

Trigger points are treated by inserting a hypodermic needle into the muscle knot and injecting a little bit of local anesthetic into the knot. This is a quick in and out needle that takes seconds.Each muscle is treated this way. Most treatments need about 3 to 10 quick insertions to treat all the muscles involved.