Transforaminal Epidural Injections
Background
Trigger points are painful taught, tender, “knots” within bands of muscles. Pressure can cause an aching or sharp pain sensation. Often, the pain from a trigger point can refer to other parts of the body.
Trigger pint injections are used to treat muscle pain, most commonly in the neck, arms, legs, and lower back.
Pain relief from these injections may result in better muscle function, less need for pain medications, and improved mobility.
Useful in physical therapy to loosen muscle groups and increase progress towards joint mobilization.
Procedure
A local anesthetic is injected into the trigger point; however it is likely that the actual treatment is from the physical introduction of the needle itself into the active trigger point within the muscle.
The injection may relieve spasms of the muscle and may last from weeks to months.