Trigger Point Injections for Neck Pain: What to Expect

You have unremitting neck pain. Our experts with Apollo Pain Management are the specialists you want to see if you have unexplained pain. We work with your medical team to get to the root of the problem and provide relief. Depending on your diagnosis, we may decide that a trigger point injection is a good option.

What is a trigger point? 

Your muscles and other body parts have bands of connective tissue called fascia wrapped around them to hold them in place. If you develop myofascial pain in your neck, you have small knots in the muscles or surrounding tissue that haven’t resolved with pain medication or physical therapy. The knots are trigger points because they’re tender and painful to the touch.  

If you play sports, work out in a gym, or perform labor using your arms, shoulders, and neck, you can develop trigger points in your muscles from the constant wear and tear or from the trauma of an accident. Your muscle stays in a contracted position, and knots begin to form. You may be able to feel them with your fingers. Muscles on the front, the sides, and the back of your neck can be affected. 

If our expert finds that your pain is a result of knotted muscles that cause muscle spasms, or if you suffer from tension headaches, fibromyalgia, or other conditions that cause neck pain, trigger point injections can bring relief. 

What’s in a trigger point injection that relieves my pain? 

The injection includes a local anesthetic. It may include cortisone or botulinum toxin. The anesthetic diminishes pain. If the injection also contains cortisone, it calms inflamed tissue and relaxes the muscle. If your doctor injects botulinum toxin, the muscle is paralyzed, which eliminates the pain.  

What happens during a trigger point injection? 

You’ll lie on an exam table. Our staff cleanse the target area thoroughly. Your Apollo Pain Management physician finds the trigger point and marks it. Your doctor holds the target area between his fingers to hold the tissue in place. 

Your physician inserts a very thin needle into the trigger point. You’ll feel a slight burn when your doctor first inserts the needle. 

He then retracts the needle part of the way, and then continues to reinsert and retract it several times in different directions. This helps the muscle relax. 

The final step occurs when your doctor injects the anesthetic solution into the target area. You can go home and resume your day, but you need to avoid vigorous workouts for several days. We can provide a note to your employer temporarily excusing you from strenuous labor. 

How long does it take to experience pain relief? 

You should start to feel relief within 24 to 72 hours of the injection. 

If you have undiagnosed pain, call Apollo Pain Management today or request an appointment through our online portal. We have two offices you can visit, in Bradenton and Sun City Center, Florida. You don’t have to live with chronic pain. Modern medicine can ease your suffering.