Trigger Point (Trigger Point)

       A myofascial trigger point is defined as a highly irritating point in a taut band of muscle that is 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 inside the head, neck, and shoulder muscles can cause spontaneous headaches. Additionally, patients with migraine, tension-type, post-traumatic, and other headache disorders may have trigger points and aggravating or perpetuating factors for the underlying headache condition.

      In the trigger point procedure, the anesthetic 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 fiber, providing more pain relief. This approach is called “dry needling” and can be used in patients who are allergic to anesthetic medication. Some headache specialists perform trigger point injections along with peripheral nerve blocks in the same treatment session.