Chattanooga Trigger Point Injection
Do you have stubborn knots and/or ropey muscles that linger for weeks, or even months? Those are likely TRIGGER POINTS.
Bryn Medical is your physical medicine source for joint pain relief and health enhancement. We treat these cases successfully in our Chattanooga clinic.
What is a Trigger Point?
A trigger point is a specific area within a muscle that has become tight and inflamed, causing pain and discomfort. These points often manifest as tender knots or tight bands that can be felt when touched. In a physical medicine practice, trigger point injections are administered to alleviate the pain associated with these sensitive areas and promote healing.
Causes of trigger points include:
- Muscle overuse: Prolonged or repetitive muscle activity can lead to the formation of trigger points.
- Poor posture: Maintaining improper posture for extended periods can strain muscles and create trigger points.
- Stress and tension: Emotional stress often leads to muscle tension, which can result in the development of trigger points.
- Muscle spasms: Sudden, involuntary contractions of muscles in the back can be triggered by overexertion, poor posture, or muscle strain.
- Injuries: Trauma to the muscle, such as from a sports injury or accident, can cause trigger points to form.
- Muscle imbalances: When certain muscles are weak or tight, other muscles have to compensate, increasing the likelihood of trigger point development.
In the US, trigger points are a common source of musculoskeletal pain, affecting millions of people every year. They can occur in individuals of any age, making them a common concern in both the general population and among athletes.
These trigger points usually arise when the underlying cause has been left untreated and can persist until the contributing factors are addressed.
How Do Trigger Point Therapy & Injections Work?
Trigger point treatment is used to help relieve pain caused by tight knots in your muscles, called trigger points.
During a typical treatment, the provider injects a very small medicinal to the area. The local anesthetic works by numbing the area, providing immediate pain relief, while it also helps to reduce inflammation and promote healing over time.
By addressing both pain and inflammation, trigger point injections help the tight muscles to relax and reduce discomfort. It’s important to follow a treatment regimen including specific stretching, posture and functional motion after the injection, as this can help prevent trigger points from coming back in the future.
FAQs About Trigger Point Injections
What does a trigger point injection session look like?
Here at Bryn Medical, we are proud to offer trigger point injections for patients struggling with fibromyalgia, tension headaches, myofascial pain, and muscle pain in the arms, legs, lower back and neck.
During your appointment, we will locate the area where you are experiencing pain and inject small amounts of anesthetic and steroid to help alleviate your symptoms.
This procedure is safe and the risk of possible complications is very low. You may experience soreness or numbness at the injection site for a temporary period of time. While you should avoid strenuous activity for a few days, you should be able to actively use your muscles immediately following treatment.
For more information or to request an appointment, contact us today at (423) 541-9455.
WHAT CAUSES TRIGGER POINTS TO DEVELOP?
Tiny knots in the myofascial tissue that covers your muscles are called trigger points. Active trigger points can cause a lot of pain and discomfort. They may be tender and painful when touched or even cause referred pain, which is felt outside the trigger point area. Trigger point pain is often described as regional and persistent, spreading or radiating from the source. Myofascial trigger points can develop after acute muscle trauma or repeated traumas. They also form due to lack of exercise, prolonged inactivity, sleep disorders, poor posture or nutritional deficiencies.
HOW DO TRIGGER POINTS AFFECT OTHER AREAS IN THE BODY?
When trigger point pain is localized, it can spread to nearby areas and cause discomfort throughout the region. Over time, this can limit your range of motion. Trigger points also weaken the muscles they affect, which forces other muscles to work harder to compensate for this weakness.
Trigger points can cause:
- Muscle weakness
- Radiating pain
- Poor posture, which can lead to:
- Back Pain
- Sciatica
- Neck Pain
- Jaw Pain
- Tension Headaches
WHAT IS THE ACCELERATED JOINT RECOVERY PROTOCOL?
Because every individual that comes to Bryn Medical is different, our Accelerated Joint Recovery Protocol is personalized for each patient.
Our team of healthcare providers have decades of experience and deploy a protocol pulling from nearly a dozen proven treatment modalities.
The aim of the Accelerated Joint Recovery Protocol is to restore function, increase the health of the tissues and joints, decreasing pain, while being back functionality.
We want to see you living an active life!
Don’t Let Pain Stop You in
Your Tracks…
Contact Bryn Medical today to learn more about your
body aches and pains, as well as see if you are a
candidate for our Accelerated Joint Recovery Protocol.
