What can go wrong with trigger point injections?

The risk of complication from a trigger point injection is very low. Complications such as bleeding and infection at the injection site are uncommon. However, you may have temporary soreness or numbness at the injection site.

Can trigger point injections make things worse?

Also, anesthetic-based trigger point injections can cause a severe form of muscle damage called myonecrosis. This may heal within 3–4 weeks . Pain, swelling, and tenderness near the injection site usually wear off after a few hours. If any side effect does not resolve within a couple of weeks, contact the doctor.

Is trigger point injections Safe?

Trigger point injections are very safe. If there are side effects, they're uncommon. Some may include minor pain, infection, or bleeding at the injection site, or if a steroid is used, fat beneath the skin can shrink, causing a dent.

Do trigger point injections have side effects?

Common minor side effects during treatment include: discomfort, slight bleeding with injection, nausea, dizziness, sweating, skin irritation/allergy to anesthetic, and fainting.

Can trigger point injections hit a nerve?

Very rarely, if the injection is done in the chest wall or low in the neck, the needle may puncture the lung. This would cause chest pain and difficulty breathing. The needle may hit a nerve that could cause pain. Talk with your doctor to weigh the risks and benefits of having the injection.

Trapezius Muscle Spasm Trigger Point Injection

What happens if a vaccine needle hits a nerve?

Injections that occur below the deltoid muscle can hit the radial nerve and injections that are too far to the side of the deltoid muscle can hit the axillary nerve. If a nerve is hit, the patient will feel an immediate burning pain, which can result in paralysis or neuropathy that does not always resolve.

How deep do trigger point injections go?

A length of 1.5 inches or more will usually suffice, however a longer needle (~2.5 inches) may be required if the trigger point is located deep within a muscle.

How many times can you get trigger point injections?

Most physicians will do a maximum of three injections over the course of six months. This outpatient procedure is designed to reduce or relieve the pain of trigger points. These small, tender knots can form in muscles or in the fascia (the soft, stretchy connective tissue that surrounds muscles and organs).

Can trigger point injections make you tired?

Patients who have a significant amount of muscle release may experience fatigue and need for a longer sleep following the first treatment. This is largely a phenomenon following the first treatment and doesn't seem to occur after subsequent treatments.

What does it feel like when a trigger point is released?

Trigger points are tender to the touch and can refer pain to distant parts of the body. Patients may have regional, persistent pain resulting in a decreased range of motion in the affected muscles. 1 Massage, spray and stretch, and injections are a few techniques to decrease trigger point pain.

Do trigger points show up on MRI?

Trigger points do not show up on X-ray, CT, or MRI. They can't be detected with a blood test. Trigger points are diagnosed by feeling for them. Trigger points can not be cured with the traditional approach of muscle relaxers, anti-depressants, or pain pills.

Are trigger point injections successful?

Trigger point injections can assure up to 90 percent neck pain relief when Botox is used. For pelvic pain, the success rate is around 75 percent. The treatment method is very popular among patients with pain from myofascial problem, spasm linked to a pinched nerve and fibromyalgia associated with muscle problems.

How long will trigger point injections last?

If only anesthetics are injected, then the injections can be taken at intervals of one month. Steroid medications cannot be injected as frequently as the anesthetics due to their complications. However, the effect of a steroid in trigger point injections can last from several weeks to several months.

How long does it take for trigger point shots to work?

You might feel relief right away or the relief might take up to 3-4 days after the treatment. Everyone responds differently.

Can trigger point injections cause insomnia?

Possible side effects

Steroid medications may cause facial flushing, occasional low-grade fevers, hiccups, insomnia, headaches, water retention, increased appetite, increased heart rate, and abdominal cramping or bloating.

What are the side effects of steroid injections?

Do trigger point injections cause weight gain?

Second, some trigger point injection treatments — although not those used at PhysMed — contain small amounts of steroids. These compounds are known to cause weight gain when taken regularly for a long time in high doses.

Can trigger points be cured?

Trigger points do not go away on their own. If rested or treated they may regress slightly to a state where they stop referring pain unless a therapist presses on them, but they will still be there. Further development or aggravation will cause them to refer pain again.

Why do trigger points keep coming back?

The main reasons trigger points keep coming back is because they usually never really go. Courses of trigger point therapy are only designed to temporarily relieve their pain, not eliminate them.

Why are trigger points so painful?

Pressure on a trigger point causes the muscle fibers to shorten and be painful to the touch. And this can send “referred pain” radiating out to other areas of the body.

What medication is used in trigger point injections?

Can the ER do trigger point injections?

As emergency physicians, we often see similar patients who have failed home therapies of Tylenol and Motrin. In the appropriate scenario, trigger point injections are another treatment than can be added to the emergency physician's treatment armamentarium.

Is a trigger point injection a steroid?

A trigger point injection uses steroids and anesthetic medicines to relieve pain. The injection is placed directly into the trigger point and can provide relief for months. You can receive injections in multiple areas of your body for total pain relief. You can also have repeat injections if your pain returns.

Is ultrasound guidance necessary for trigger point injections?

It is important to do all the trigger point injections with ultrasound guidance “live” to ensure we are reaching the correct muscle in the pain location.

How do you treat nerve damage from the injection?

Management of nerve injection injury includes drug treatment of pain, physiotherapy, use of assistive devices and surgical exploration. Early recognition of nerve injection injury and appropriate management are crucial in order to reduce neurological deficit and to maximize recovery.