Trigger Point Therapy in Cedar Rapids IA

Are you looking for Trigger Point Therapy in Cedar Rapids IA? A small muscular nod, or specifically a trigger point, can be responsible for pain in parts of the body that are quite some distance from where the nodule is itself. It is common for a trigger point in the low to mid back to radiate pain and discomfort into the shoulders and neck. This neck and shoulder pain is likely to cause pain in the head which can be a dull ache or a sharp, intense pain.

Understanding Trigger Point Therapy in Cedar Rapids IA

This particular kind of therapy is designed to work on the nodule directly. There is specific, controlled pressure that is applied to the trigger point. After a few seconds of pressure, it is released. During this type of massage, the patient participates and communicates by identifying areas of discomfort as well as having controlled, deep breathing.

Relieving the trigger points in a muscle, allows the muscle knot to loosen. Patients often experience immediate relief following one treatment. Regularly scheduled trigger point therapy can give you the benefits of pain management from stress, injury, etc.

TRIGGER POINT INJECTIONS

Trigger point injection is a procedure used to treat the areas of muscle that are in pain and contain trigger points or knots of muscle that are created when muscles cannot relax. It is possible to feel these knots under the skin. It is fairly common that trigger points irritate the nerves around them and cause pain that is felt in another part of the body, known as referred pain. Our Cedar Rapids IA team has found that some patient complaints respond very well to this form of treatment.

The trigger point injection procedure consists of injecting a solution through a small needle into the patient's trigger point problem area. The solution contains a local anesthetic that sometimes includes a corticosteroid. When injected, the trigger point is made inactive and the pain is alleviated. Usually, a brief course of treatment will result in sustained relief. Injections are given in a doctor's office and usually take just a few minutes. Several sites may be injected in one visit. If a patient has an allergy to a certain medication, a dry-needle technique (involving no medications) can be used.

Trigger point injection is used to treat many muscle groups, especially those in the arms, legs, lower back, and neck. In addition, trigger point injections can be used to treat fibromyalgia and tension headaches. Trigger point injection is also used to alleviate myofascial pain syndrome (chronic pain involving tissue that surrounds muscle) that does not respond to other treatments. However, the effectiveness of trigger point injections for treating myofascial pain is still under study.

If you are interested in learning more about Trigger Point Therapy, call our experienced team at Integrated Medicine of Iowa in Cedar Rapids IA today!