Have you ever had a muscle spasm that doesn't let up, no matter what you try? You may even feel a lump around the pain, which could be a trigger point.
Myofascial pain is a chronic issue characterized by pain in and around specific muscles. It often worsens with certain movements or when stretching the affected muscle. But you don't have to live with myofascial pain—trigger point injections help.
At his Pinnacle Health Chiropractic practice, Dr. Jason Ablett offers trigger point injections and other therapies to alleviate muscle tension and pain. Trigger points may lead to back pain, rib pain, and headaches, but trigger point injections help alleviate discomfort and improve function.
Myofascial pain is a complex problem that causes chronic pain and irritation of the muscles and surrounding connective tissue. It may become chronic due to the cycle of muscle tightening and nerve irritation.
Muscles may initially tighten from stress or a fight-or-flight response, which is the body's way of preparing for danger. In most cases, muscles relax when the threat goes away – but if it sticks around, the tightened muscles may form a knot or trigger point.
You can develop myofascial pain in any muscle, but the most common areas include the following:
Degenerative conditions like arthritis also cause stress on surrounding tissues, resulting in trigger points. Unless you break the cycle, the tension continues, causing much discomfort that's hard to treat yourself.
Trigger point injections are successful treatments Dr. Ablett utilizes for various forms of myofascial pain. But how exactly do they work to alleviate chronic myofascial discomfort?
Experiencing myofascial pain means one or more muscles contract and stay that way, forming a hard knot in the tissue. Trigger point injections work by disrupting the aggravated muscle.
Dry needling is one of the techniques Dr. Ablett uses to disrupt the cycle of pain. He uses a needle and sticks it into the muscle "knot," disrupting the pain response and allowing the muscle to relax.
Medications in the injection are also another way trigger point injections relieve pain. We utilize a local anesthetic and a powerful steroid to numb the area and eliminate inflammation.
The pain immediately subsides after the anesthetic, which lasts a few hours. This allows the muscles to relax because you can't feel tension. The steroid then goes to work, reducing inflammation and improving blood flow to the area.
The needle and medications both disrupt pain signals, allowing the tissues to change course and relax instead of staying contracted. The result is long-term pain relief that you feel immediately.
The science behind trigger point injections speaks for itself, but there are some things you can do to avoid trigger points in the future. Dr. Ablett works with you to determine the cause of the painful trigger point to decrease the chances of it returning.
He recommends rehabilitative exercise along with the injection to improve blood flow to all muscles. Strength training, stretching, and chiropractic adjustments keep the muscles loose and help trigger points from forming.
Lowering stress levels also helps relieve chronic tension, especially in the neck, back, and shoulders. Meditation, yoga, and massage therapy can help you relax and prevent chronic muscle pain.
Call Pinnacle Health Chiropractic today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Ablett for trigger point injections or request an appointment here on our website.
