WHAT IS A TRIGGER POINT INJECTION (TPI)?

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 may irritate the nerves around them and cause referred pain (pain felt in another part of the body).

REASON FOR THE PROCEDURE

TPI is used to treat 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. Although the technique is also used to alleviate myofascial pain syndrome (chronic pain involving tissue that surrounds muscle) that does not respond to other treatments, the effectiveness of TPI for treating myofascial pain is still under study.

THE PROCEDURE

In the TPI procedure, your Esse Health Radiologist inserts a small needle into the trigger point and injects a local anesthetic that may contain 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 usually take just a few minutes. Several sites may be injected in one visit. If you have an allergy to a certain medication, your doctor may use a dry-needle technique (where very thin acupuncture-like needles are used, but no medication is injected).

POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS, RISKS, AND COMPLICATIONS

Risks and complications are extremely rare, but side effects may include pain, numbness, skin discoloration or bleeding at the injection site.