Trigger Point Injection

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.

What Is a Trigger Point?

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.

Injecting a trigger point can help relax the affected muscle and relieve the pain.

About the Injections

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.