Trigger points are taut muscle bands that are hypersensitive to touch and can produce a local twitch response when stimulated. These taut points may cause pain or discomfort and prevent full lengthening of the muscle reducing the range of motion. They are very common and something that many of us have experienced at some point or another. Trigger points can occur on their own, in the absence of any tissue damage or medical condition. However, they may also be associated with various conditions and injuries including whiplash, ligament laxity and osteoarthritis to irritable bowel syndrome, interstitial cystitis, and endometriosis among others. Unfortunately, trigger points are often overlooked as potential or contributing factors in many pain problems. They are a distinguishing factor of myofascial pain syndrome but can mimic other pain disorders such as neuropathic pain, complex regional pain syndrome, systemic diseases, tinnitus, and certain metabolic and nutritional disorders among others.
One safe and effective solution to manage these painful muscle bands is trigger point injections. This involves the administration of small amounts of solution into the tender points. The solution often contains a combination of saline, local anesthetic, and/or vitamins and other nutrients to aid in the release of the tight muscle bands and fascia primarily helping to reduce pain while improving range of motion and function. Benefits can be seen after one session, but optimal results frequently require several treatments, often ranging from 3-6 treatments based on each person individually.