Trigger Point Injections for Muscle Knots in Lighthouse Point, FL

Trigger point injections treat the tight, tender muscle knots that cause persistent neck, shoulder and back pain. A fine needle is placed directly into the knot, usually with a small amount of local anesthetic, to help the muscle release. At Rebuild Regen Medical Clinic in Lighthouse Point, trigger point injections are a quick in-office treatment for myofascial pain that has not settled with stretching, massage or rest.

What a Trigger Point Is

A myofascial trigger point is a small, hyperirritable spot inside a taut band of muscle. It feels like a firm nodule or cord under the skin and is tender when pressed. Many trigger points also refer pain elsewhere: a knot in the upper trapezius can cause a headache behind the eye, and a knot in the gluteal muscles can send pain down the leg in a way that is easy to mistake for sciatica.

Trigger points tend to form where muscles are overloaded or held in one position for long periods, after an injury, or where a muscle is compensating for a problem elsewhere. For a fuller explanation of why knots keep coming back, see muscle knots and trigger points.

Where We Treat Trigger Points

• Neck and upper shoulders: upper trapezius and levator scapulae, common with desk work and tension headaches
• Between the shoulder blades: the rhomboids and mid-back muscles; see knots between the shoulder blades
• Low back: quadratus lumborum and paraspinal muscles, often behind one-sided low back pain
• Hips and buttocks: gluteal muscles and piriformis; see glute and hip muscle knots
• Shoulder girdle: muscles around the shoulder blade that can mimic joint pain

Who Is a Good Candidate

Trigger point injections may help if you have:

• One or more tender knots you can feel, which reproduce your pain when pressed
• Pain that has lasted weeks or months despite stretching, massage, heat or rest
• Tension-type headaches linked to tight neck and shoulder muscles
• Muscle pain that limits work, sleep, exercise or range of motion

They are not a fit for pain that comes mainly from a joint, a disc or a nerve. Part of the evaluation is ruling those out, so that the injection targets what is actually driving your pain. If your back pain points to a disc problem, spinal decompression or other care may fit better; see back pain.

What a Visit Looks Like

Examination. Your provider reviews your history and examines the painful area, pressing along the muscle to find the taut bands and the exact points that reproduce your pain.

The injection. After the skin is cleaned, a fine needle is inserted into each trigger point. Most often a small amount of local anesthetic, such as lidocaine, is injected; sometimes the needle alone is used. You may feel a brief twitch as the muscle releases, which is expected. Several points can be treated in one visit, and the procedure usually takes only a few minutes.

Afterward. You can usually drive home and return to normal activity the same day. The area may be sore or bruised for a day or two. We often pair injections with stretching or activity changes so that the muscle stays released.

How Quickly It Works and How Long It Lasts

Some patients feel easier movement within minutes as the anesthetic takes effect; others notice improvement over the following days once post-injection soreness fades. How long relief lasts depends on what keeps loading the muscle. Where the cause is addressed through posture, strengthening or treatment of an underlying problem, the benefit can last; where it is not, knots tend to return and a short series of visits may be needed.

How Trigger Point Injections Fit With Other Care

Trigger point injections work well alongside other treatments rather than in place of them. Depending on what we find, your plan may also include shockwave therapy for chronic soft-tissue pain, Class IV laser therapy, home stretching, or a referral to physical therapy. Massage and dry needling apply pressure to a knot from the outside; an injection treats it directly, which is why it can help when hands-on work has stopped helping. Read why massage doesn't fix muscle knots for more.

Risks and Side Effects

Trigger point injections are considered low risk. Temporary soreness, bruising or numbness at the injection site are the most common effects. Less common risks include bleeding, infection, a reaction to the medication, or feeling lightheaded during the procedure. When points near the chest wall or upper back are treated, there is a rare risk of a collapsed lung, which is why the needle angle and depth are controlled carefully. Tell us if you take blood thinners or have a bleeding disorder.

Muscle Pain Care Near Lighthouse Point, Pompano Beach and Deerfield Beach

Rebuild Regen Medical Clinic is at 3320 N Federal Hwy #101 in Lighthouse Point, on US-1 between Pompano Beach and Deerfield Beach. Most of our patients drive in from within about 30 minutes: Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Coconut Creek, Oakland Park, Parkland, Wilton Manors and the surrounding Broward County communities. Call (954) 953-4208 or request a consultation.