What is trigger point injection?
Trigger point injection (TPI) is a procedure used to treat painful areas of muscle that contain
trigger points, or knots of muscle that form when muscles do not relax. Many times, such knots can be felt under the skin.
Trigger points might irritate the nerves around them and cause referred pain, or pain that is felt in another part of the
body.
During the TPI procedure, a health care professional inserts a small needle into the patient’s trigger point. The injection
contains a local anesthetic that sometimes includes a corticosteroid. With the injection, the trigger point is made inactive
and the pain is alleviated. Usually, a brief course of treatment will result in sustained relief. Injections are given in a
doctor's office and usually take just a few minutes. Several sites might be injected in one visit. If a patient has an
allergy to a certain medicine, a "dry-needle" technique (involving no medicines) can be used.
For which ailments is trigger point injection used?
TPI is used to treat trigger points in many muscle groups, especially those in the arms, legs, lower back, and neck. In
addition, TPI can be used to treat fibromyalgia and tension headaches. TPI also is used to alleviate myofascial pain
syndrome (chronic pain involving tissue that surrounds muscle) that does not respond to other treatment. However, the
effectiveness of TPI for treating myofascial pain is still under some debate.
What is spinal cord stimulation?
Spinal cord stimulation delivers low-level electrical signals to the spinal cord or to specific nerves to block pain signals
from reaching the brain. During this procedure, a device that delivers the electrical signals is implanted in the body
either surgically or percutaneously (through the skin). The patient may turn the current off and on or adjust the intensity
of the signals. Most people describe the feelings from the simulator as being pleasant and tingling.
Two kinds of spinal cord stimulation systems are available. The unit that is more commonly used is fully implanted and has a
pulse generator and a non-rechargeable battery. The other system includes an antenna, transmitter, and a receiver that
relies upon radio frequency. The latter system’s antenna and transmitter are carried outside the body, while the receiver is
implanted inside the body.
When is spinal cord stimulation used?
This device is used when other treatments have not been successful, when surgery is not likely to help, or when surgery has
failed. However, the device is not for everyone. Check with your doctor.
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This information is provided by the Cleveland Clinic and is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or
health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition. This document
was last reviewed on: 12/1/2004...#12059
