Trigger Point Injections
Trigger point injections (TPIs) are a good option for some patients when it comes to successfully treating pain. TPI is a process used to effectively treat key areas of painful muscles that have certain knots of muscle, or trigger points that develop when muscles don’t readily relax. Often, these knots can be felt just beneath the skin. Trigger points can aggravate nearby nerves and generate referred pain, which is pain that’s felt in a different area of the body.
- Joint Injections
- Knee Injections
- Shoulder Injections
- Hip Injections
- Prolotherapy
Platelet Rich Plasma Injections
Botox Injections
- Spinal Cord Stimulation
- Percutaneous Disc Decompression
- Intradiscal Electrothermal Annuloplasty (IDET)
- Minimally Invasive Procedures
- Medical Orthotics
- Medication Management
- Chronic Opioid Therapy
Trigger Point Injections
During a TPI, the doctor carefully inserts a tiny needle into the trigger point of the patient’s muscle. The injection itself contains saline or a local anesthetic, and may also have a corticosteroid in it as well. Because of the injection, the patient’s trigger point is rendered inactive and therefore alleviates the pain. Frequently, a short course of treatment generally leads to continual relief from pain. A trigger point injection only takes a couple of minutes to perform and is usually administered in a doctor’s office. In fact, multiple sites can be injected in just one visit. In certain cases, a patient may have an allergy to a particular drug in which case a dry-needle approach can be used instead without including any medications.
When are Trigger Point Injections Used?
TPIs are used to treat a variety of muscle groups, particularly those located in the neck, lower back, legs, and arms. Also, TPI is also effective in treating tension headaches and fibromyalgia as well. Some doctors will also use it in order to improve myofascial pain syndrome if it fails to respond to other key treatments. But, the overall effectiveness for treating myofascial pain using TPI is still currently being researched.
How a Trigger Point Injection is Performed
TPI is usually performed in a doctor’s office with the patient either sitting or lying down on their belly on the exam table. The doctor administering the procedure will locate the trigger point and then mark the site, usually without the need for ultrasound guidance. Alcohol or some other type of skin cleanser like betadine is frequently used to thoroughly clean the TPI site. Often, ethyl chloride is used in order to numb the skin and to make the injection itself less painful for the patient. If the injection site is tender and sore following the injection, it’s usually recommended to apply ice, heat, and take Tylenol or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory over-the-counter medication such as Advil.
V. K. Puppala, M.D., serves numerous patients in the Atlanta, GA area. Dr. Puppala is an expert in successful pain management and prides himself on treating all his patients with extreme compassion, respect, and caring and is genuinely concerned about their general health and well-being. Dr. Puppala is known for taking a special pain management approach by using a number of minimally invasive interventional techniques by incorporating practical restoration in order to ensure positive results. Call 770-627-7246 or 770-MAP-PAIN today to set up an appointment.
