Chronic muscle pain? Trigger point injections from Encinitas, CA, rheumatologist could be your answer

There’s the weekend workaholic who’s spent seven days straight (for years) hunched over a computer. And there’s the weekend warrior who’s still nursing that shoulder injury from last month’s pick-up football game. Both could find themselves suffering significant, chronic pain from what they may call “muscle knots,” aka “trigger points.”  Both can find relief with trigger point injections from rheumatologist, Dr. Peter Lloyd, of Encinitas, CA.

Trigger point injections (TPIs) are widely considered one of the most effective treatments for extremely painful trigger points and are repeatedly cited as the best way to achieve relief from this type of muscle pain.

Trigger point triggers

A trigger point is a knot of muscle that forms when the muscle fails to relax after either an acute, traumatic injury or a minor injury that results from poor posture or repetitive motion.

Trigger points can be felt beneath the skin and usually twitch involuntarily when touched. They most often occur in the upper back and shoulder, but can also be found in the legs, arms, neck, and lower back. Trigger points cause pain by irritating the surrounding nerves. If someone presses on the spot, pain radiates to areas around the trigger point. Trigger points can also cause referred pain – pain felt in an area of the body some distance from the actual knot.

Trigger point treatment

Treatment for trigger points can range from physical therapy, massage, and acupuncture to medication, ultrasonography, or spray and stretch techniques. However, trigger point injections often produce the most relief.

The injection is placed directly into the trigger point itself. The syringe may be filled with an anesthetic like lidocaine, a corticosteroid like cortisone, or a mixture of the two. The injection renders the trigger point inactive, and if an anesthetic is included, it further reduces the pain.

TPI treatment is safe and takes just a few minutes. Patients say the discomfort is no worse than having blood drawn. Often, just one injection will bring lasting relief, especially if the cause of the trigger point has been addressed, such as the healing of an acute injury or cessation of a repetitive activity that is producing muscle strain.

There’s no need to suffer. Call Seaside Rheumatology and Wellness Center at 760-509-2429 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Lloyd.

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