TRIGGER POINT INJECTIONS

There are so many reasons that you can develop trigger point pain that it’s good to have a spine specialist available to determine both the cause and the best treatment. While these knots in your muscles may be relieved with massage, you often need more help, which you can get with a treatment called a trigger point injection. These injections deliver immediate relief and usually take care of the problem permanently. At the Spine & Rehab Group in NYC and northern New Jersey, you find experts in trigger point pain and the most effective treatments. Call today for a consultation.

A trigger point is a discrete, focal and hyperirritable nodule in the taut band of the skeletal muscles’ fascia. The fascia is an area in the muscle or connective tissue that’s painful when pressed. Trigger points, like acupressure points or acupuncture points, can feel like knots beneath your skin, and they’re common in your upper back and shoulder areas.

Trigger point pain accompanies most chronic musculoskeletal disorders. The pain may also develop with advancing age or from shoulder injuries, knee injuries or other joint problems and conditions. A knowledgeable pain specialist can press on the trigger point with concentrated amounts of pressure to relieve muscle spasms. A trigger point injection with pain-relieving medication is another pain management option.

If you suffer from lower back pain, upper back pain or middle back pain caused by spinal problems, Dr. Amr Hosny and the expert spine doctors at the Spine & Rehab Group know how to help. Based in New York City and the surrounding New Jersey counties of Morris, Union and Bergen, these spine specialists rely on the latest pain relief techniques, including trigger point injections.

A myofascial trigger point injection is a pain management technique that involves injecting medication directly into myofascial trigger points. It’s used as a pain treatment for muscles containing trigger points. The formation of trigger points in tense muscles can irritate surrounding nerves, causing referred pain in other parts of your body too. The injection can contain a variety of medications, depending on your specific needs, including:

• A local anesthetic that blocks pain receptors
• A mixture of anesthetics and corticosteroids for pain relief and inflammation reduction
• Corticosteroid alone to reduce inflammation
• Botulinum toxin A, known as Botox, a substance proven to reduce swelling

If you suffer from chronic pain that doesn’t go away with conservative treatment, trigger point injections offer a more effective treatment. Dr. Hosny is a board-certified, Harvard trained interventional spine specialist who treats body pain through the latest interventional techniques. Visit one of the locations of the Spine & Rehab Group for the best pain relief treatments.

A trigger point injection can deliver pain relief to different parts of your body. After a diagnosis, your doctor determines if the condition causing your muscle pain qualifies for a trigger point injection. Trigger point injections soothe muscle pain in your arms, legs, lower back and neck. Trigger point injections for migraines and headaches are also effective. This pain treatment relieves a wide range of conditions, including:

• Fibromyalgia
• Tension headaches
• Myofascial pain syndrome
• Neck pain
• Degenerative disc disease
• Cervical sprains
• Osteoarthritis
• Spondylosis
• Spinal stenosis
• Poor posture
• Whiplash

Your spine doctor leverages the latest diagnostic equipment to determine the cause of your muscle pain. From the examination and imaging test results, in conjunction with a thorough medical history and physical exam, your spine doctor determines if a trigger point injection is the best option for you.

Trigger point injections are highly effective for muscle pain and headaches. Your spine specialist may recommend a trigger point injection if you have symptoms that include:

• Dull aching and tenderness
• Muscle spasms
• Involuntary contractions
• Localized weakness and fatigue
• Delayed muscle relaxation
• Muscle stiffness
• A deep, aching pain in a muscle
• Upper and middle back pain
• Tingling in your arms or legs
• Temperature differences in the affected area

These symptoms point to trigger point pain. Your doctor considers these symptoms when creating your treatment plan. Trigger point injections aren’t recommended, however, if you:

• Have bleeding or an anticoagulation disorder
• Developed a local or systematic infection
• Are allergic to anesthetics
• Experienced acute muscle trauma

This is a short, in-office appointment. The treatment starts with an exhaustive medical examination and imaging tests, if needed. During the procedure:

1. The doctor palpates the trigger point to identify the location of the knot.
2. The area is cleaned and numbed.
3. The doctor uses a small needle to deliver the injection.
4. You can get more than one injection, depending on the number of trigger points you have.

Targeted exercises, proper diet and massage can help prevent the return of the trigger point. If you experience consistent pain that alters your quality of life, contact the pain specialists at the Spine & Rehab Group. The team treats a diverse range of conditions to ease the pain and restore proper function. They can discuss alternatives to trigger point injections, such as physical therapy, anti-inflammatory steroid injections, radiofrequency ablation and, as a last resort, surgery.