Are trigger points causing your pain?

A trigger point is a point in the soft tissue (muscle, skin, ligament, tendon) that triggers pain when it is touched or stressed.

The trigger point develops because there is too much strain on the soft tissue for too long so micro tears develop. The micro tears never get a chance to heal because the stress on the soft tissue continues. So the body is in a continuous state of trying to heal the area.

The stress on the soft tissue comes from improper use, over use, or a one time injury (fall, whiplash, car accident, etc.) that causes the tissue to be injured. Ultimately it won’t function correctly unless the proper function is restored and it is allowed to heal.

Our trigger point injections use 1-2% lidocaine and 98 to 99% saline solution (water) in order to get underneath the trigger point and stretch it out. This allows our other techniques such as manipulation and therapy to be more effective.

Trigger points are most common in the muscles around the neck, upper back and shoulders. This can also be common in the low back and around the hips. However, they will develop in any area that has too much tension on the tissues for too long.

Trigger points can also develop into other symptoms. We have seen people with shoulder pain, neck pain, headaches, numbness in the hands, low back pain and hip pain. Our patients have seen a significant decrease in pain after utilizing our treatments and trigger point injections.

Some patients experience immediate relief from a trigger point treatment, while for others it may take multiple treatments.

Patients also report seeing improvement in symptoms that seemed unrelated to the muscle pain. This is a result of the referred pain and symptoms that people experience with trigger points.

If you believe you may be suffering from trigger point paint, it is best to seek treatment sooner rather than later. PC Medical Centers has staff trained in diagnosis and treatment of trigger points and ready to help you get the relief you deserve.