Pain Treatments
Lumbar Trigger Point Injection
The lumbar spinal muscles are important in helping to maintain healthy posture while sitting and standing. It is common for these muscles to go into spasm with prolonged sitting at a computer work station or activities that require standing for long periods. A trigger point injection is an injection performed to help reduce small areas of involuntary muscle spasm in the piriformis that produce pain and/or limitations in movement and activities.
How is a trigger point injection performed?
The doctor will numb the skin above the muscle spasm. Then, guided by feel or ultrasound, he will:
Insert a thin needle into the muscle using a technique called “peppering”, which is where the needle is moved rapidly and around the inside of the area of muscle spasm.
Inject a mixture of anesthetic (for temporary pain relief)
The medicines help to block the pain signal, like turning off a light switch. Usually, the procedure takes less than five minutes and you can go home the same day.