Trigger Point

     A myofascial trigger point is defined as a point in a taut band of muscle that may be extremely irritable and associated with a hypersensitive, palpable nodule. Trigger points may develop due to trauma, injury, inflammation, or other factors. The trigger point can also be painful at rest (this is called an active trigger point). A hidden trigger point does not cause spontaneous pain but may limit a person’s range of motion in that area or cause muscle weakness. Trigger points in the neck and shoulder muscles can cause spontaneous shoulder pain.

      In the trigger point procedure, the anaesthetic drug is injected intramuscularly by inserting a small needle into the patient’s trigger point in the sensitive muscle. Thus, the pain receptors in the nerves surrounding the muscle are blocked and the pain signals sent to the brain are reduced. If steroid medication is used, it reduces inflammation and swelling of the tissue around the nerves, which can help reduce pain.

        The drug-free needle can even provide mechanically independent benefits. The needle separates, relaxes and lengthens the muscle fibre, providing more pain relief. This approach is called “dry needling” and can be used in patients who are allergic to an anesthetic medication. In the treatment of shoulder pain, trigger point injections are performed together with peripheral nerve blocks and joint injections.