Trigger Point Injections in San Antonio

Trigger Point Injections in San Antonio

The healthcare practitioners at the My Doctor Sam clinic perform trigger point injections in San Antonio to help soothe patients’ muscle pain in the arms, legs, lower back, and neck.

What are Trigger Points?

Trigger points are painful “knots” in the muscles that form when a muscle can’t relax. Some patients can feel these knots when they rub their muscles.

Who Needs a Trigger Point Injection?

Chronic muscle pain can have a significant impact on a person’s ability to move and enjoy life. Although many types of muscle pain resolve after a few days of rest, patients with persistent or chronic muscle pain may need medical treatment.

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Trigger point injections may offer immediate benefits to people who have chronic muscle pain. Car accident survivors, for example, may need a trigger point injection to address muscle pain caused by the accident.

Myofascial Pain Syndrome. Trigger point injections are effective in treating symptoms of myofascial pain syndrome, a chronic pain condition that affects the muscles and their surrounding tissue.

Patients diagnosed with myofascial pain syndrome have trigger points that stimulate pain responses in seemingly unrelated parts of the body. This phenomenon is known as referred pain.

Trigger point injections can minimize localized muscle pain by relaxing the affected muscles by interrupting the nerve signaling pathways that cause referred pain.

What to Expect During Treatment

he doctor will take into consideration the severity and underlying cause of the patient’s pain to determine the best type of medicine.

Trigger point injections in San Antonio may include the following substances:

  • A local anesthetic, such as lidocaine, to block pain receptors in muscles.
  • A corticosteroid to reduce inflammation in the muscle and connective tissue surrounding a nerve.
  • Botulinum toxin A (Botox) to block nerve signaling pathways and inhibit muscle contractions.

The patient may sit or lie down for the procedure, depending on which area(s) of the body will be receiving trigger point injections. The doctor will press on the muscle to locate the area where the patient has pain.

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The doctor will then insert a small needle into a myofascial trigger point and inject the medication. Patients with especially tense muscles may feel a crunching sensation when the doctor inserts the needle. This feeling usually subsides as the medication starts to relax the muscle.

Patients can have several trigger points injected during one visit to My Doctor Sam’s office. The procedure only takes a few minutes.

What are the Risks?

The risk of complications from a trigger point injection are very low. Complications such as bleeding and infection at the injection site are rare. However, patients may have temporary soreness or numbness at the injection site.

What Happens After the Procedure?

After a trigger point injection, patients can actively use their muscle but should avoid strenuous activity for the first few days.

Who is a Candidate?

Trigger point injection may be necessary if the patient’s muscle pain has not improved with other treatment, such as pain medication and physical therapy.

If you’re experiencing chronic muscle pain, call My Doctor Sam for trigger point injections in San Antonio. Lasting pain relief is just one treatment away!