Welcome to our health library. The information shared below is provided to you as an educational and informational source only and is not intended to replace a medical examination or consultation, or medical advice given to you by a physician or medical professional.
The cause of your muscle pain or spasms may be one or more trigger points. Your doctor may decide to inject the painful spots to relax the muscle. This can help relieve your pain. Relaxing the muscle can also make movement easier. You may then be able to exercise to strengthen the muscle and help it heal.
A trigger point is a tight, painful "knot" of muscle fiber. It can form where a muscle is strained or injured. The knot can sometimes be felt under the skin. A trigger point is very tender to the touch. Pain may also spread to other parts of the affected muscle. Muscles around a knee, shoulder blade, or other bones are prone to trigger points. This is because these muscles are more likely to be injured.
Any muscle in the body can have one or more trigger points. Several injections may be needed in each trigger point to best relieve pain. These injections may be given in sessions 1-2 weeks apart. In some cases, you may not feel much change in your symptoms until after the third injection.
Risks and complications are very rare, but may include:
Infection
Bleeding
Lung puncture (pneumothorax)
Nerve damage
Date Last Reviewed: 2004-08-02T00:00:00-06:00
Date Last Modified: 2002-07-09T00:00:00-06:00
For more information, call Dr. Walker at 972.392.3330 or use our Online Appointment Request Form today!
