Trigger Point injections

Pain Management & Anesthesiology located in Augusta, Austell, Brookhaven, Camp Creek, Piedmont/Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Canton, Carrollton, Cartersville, Conyers, Covington, Dallas, Douglasville, Jasper, Johns Creek, Suwanne, Lawrenceville, Marietta, Peachtree City, Roswell, and Woodstock, GA

Knotty, tight muscle fibers (trigger points) are often painful and even debilitating when left untreated. If trigger points cause head, neck, or shoulder discomfort, see the experts at Alliance Spine & Pain for trigger point injections that reduce inflammation and discomfort. Call one of the convenient offices in Austell, Augusta, Woodstock, Atlanta, Marietta, Conyers, Lawrenceville, Jasper, Cartersville, Dallas, Suwanee, Covington, Carrollton, Canton, Sandy Springs, Douglasville, Peachtree City, or Roswell, Georgia, or schedule an appointment online today.

Trigger Point injections Q & A

What are trigger points?

Painful, knotted muscle fibers are called trigger points. They can cause inflammation, nerve irritation, and radiating pain that moves outward from the center of each trigger point.

Trigger points may improve with massage or physical therapy. However, if they cause ongoing head, neck, or shoulder pain, trigger point injections at Alliance Spine & Pain may be the best option.

Trigger points might develop due to postural abnormalities, trauma, bone irregularities, or muscle compression caused by external forces. Other potential causes include muscle injuries, continued muscle stress, mental stress, and anxiety.

What exactly are trigger point injections?

Trigger point injections contain anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving medications, often corticosteroids and lidocaine.

Your Alliance Spine & Pain provider injects medication into specific trigger points to diminish discomfort and inflammation affecting the:

Posterior cervical (back of the neck)
Trapezius (shoulder blade)
Temporalis (side of the head)
Occipitalis (back of the skull)

These muscles are often responsible for ongoing neck and head pain.

What should I expect during trigger point injections?

The Alliance Spine & Pain providers are experts in administering trigger point injections. The procedure is an in-office process without any special preparation needed.

Trigger point treatment sessions take just a few minutes to complete. Your provider uses a fine-gauge needle to administer the injections. To ensure the utmost comfort, they offer an anesthetic cream to numb the treatment area beforehand.

You might require several trigger point injections during each treatment session. Your provider reviews the process with you beforehand so you know what to expect. After the injections, your pain specialist offers heat and ice therapy as complementary treatments.

What happens after receiving trigger point injections?

After trigger point injections, you can return to work or school. However, avoid strenuous activity for several days as directed by your provider. You might experience soreness at the injection sites, but this common side effect often fades within 48 hours.

You can expect nearly immediate pain relief after trigger point injections, with continued improvements in the way you feel over time. Relief resulting after trigger point injections often lasts for several weeks or months, but repeat injections provide long-lasting results.

Call the Alliance Spine & Pain office to learn more about trigger point injections, or use the online booking feature today.