Trigger Point Injections
Trigger point injections are a minimally invasive treatment used to relax tight, painful muscle knots and help relieve ongoing muscle pain or tension headaches.
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Migraines & Headaches
We have decades of experience caring for patients who need migraines & headaches, pioneering minimally invasive treatments and leading research for new treatments to improve patient outcomes.
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Nonsurgical Spine Care & Pain Management
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What Are Trigger Point Injections?
Trigger point injections are a treatment for areas of muscle that stay tight, tender and painful. These areas are often called trigger points, or muscle knots. A physician injects medication, sometimes with a local anesthetic and sometimes without steroid, directly into the affected muscle to help it relax.
This treatment may help people with ongoing neck, shoulder, upper back or lower back pain. It may also be considered for some people whose muscle tension contributes to headache pain.
Why Choose Baptist Health?
At Baptist Health Brain & Spine Care, patients benefit from coordinated care focused on finding the cause of pain and choosing the most appropriate treatment. For some people, trigger point injections are one part of a broader care plan that may also include physical therapy, medication management, exercise guidance or other nonsurgical treatments.
Baptist Health brings together specialists across spine care, pain management and neurology when needed. This team-based approach supports more personalized treatment decisions, especially when pain affects daily activity, sleep, work or quality of life.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Trigger point injections are used to treat painful muscle knots and areas of tight muscle that can cause ongoing discomfort. They may be used for muscle-related neck, shoulder, back or headache pain when other conservative treatments have not provided enough relief.
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Not always. Some trigger point injections use a local anesthetic alone, while others may include a steroid or other medication depending on the treatment plan. The medication choice should be confirmed with the treating physician because it can vary by patient and by area treated.
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Most people feel a brief pinch and pressure during the injection. The muscle may twitch or feel sore when the trigger point is reached. Mild soreness afterward is common, but severe pain is not expected and should be reported to your care team.
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Recovery is often brief. Many patients go back to usual activities the same day or soon after, depending on their physician’s advice. The injection site may feel sore for a short time, and your care plan may include stretching or therapy afterward.
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A candidate is someone whose pain appears to come from tight, tender muscle trigger points, especially when symptoms continue despite rest, medication, stretching or therapy. A medical evaluation is important to confirm that trigger points, not another condition, are the main source of pain.
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Relief varies. Some patients feel improvement for days or weeks, while others may need repeated treatment or a broader pain management plan. The goal is often to reduce pain enough to improve function and support other treatments, not to promise permanent relief.
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Yes. Depending on the cause of pain, alternatives may include physical therapy, oral medications, stretching programs, posture changes, sciatica evaluation or other procedures. Some patients may also benefit from treatment for conditions such as occipital neuralgia when symptoms point to another source.
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Call your care team if you have worsening pain, fever, spreading redness, significant swelling, weakness, numbness that does not improve or any symptom that concerns you. Your physician can tell you what is expected after treatment and what needs prompt follow-up.
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