Trigger Point Injections in Charlottesville, VA

Get relief from Pelvic Pain Today.

What are Trigger Point Injections?

A Trigger point injection (TPI) is a therapeutic procedure used to treat painful areas of muscle that do not relax. These areas can be felt as knots, tender spots, or pressure points. Knots can often be felt under the skin and can irritate the nerves around them. They can cause referred pain: pain felt in another part of the body.

In gynecology, myofascial “trigger points” can be a significant source of pelvic pain affecting daily activities and overall quality of life. Sometimes these are in the lower abdominal wall and are mistaken for ovarian pain. Sometimes they involve the muscles of the pelvic floor: the support muscles to the bladder, vagina, and rectum. Trigger point injections are one method of relieving focal muscle pain. A TPI involves injecting a small amount of local anesthetic and sometimes a steroid directly into the tender point. This helps alleviate the pain by making the trigger point inactive (releasing the muscle), quieting the activity of pain nerve fibers and reducing inflammation.

The treatment can provide significant relief from chronic and acute pain, improving mobility and easing the discomfort associated with conditions such as painful intercourse, painful bowel movements, bladder pain, and other chronic pelvic pain syndromes.

What are Trigger Point Injections Used For?

Trigger point injections are utilized to manage several conditions specific to gynecological health, including:

Chronic pelvic pain
Endometriosis-related pain when myofascial symptoms develop
Pain during intercourse
Pain with bladder filling and emptying
Pelvic pain associated with bowel movements

Benefits of Trigger Point Injections

The benefits of trigger point injections include:

Provides immediate pain relief
Improves range of motion in affected areas
Minimizes the need for oral pain medications
Quick procedure with minimal recovery time
Can help identify areas causing referred pain
Can be done in the office with inhaled nitrous oxide or in a surgical setting with conscious sedation if needed

Are You a Candidate?

If you are exploring treatment options for persistent pain that has not responded well to previous therapies, including pelvic floor physical therapy, you might be a candidate for trigger point injections. Here are some indicators that TPIs might be right for you:

Experiencing localized, persistent pelvic pain
Pain not relieved by oral medications
History of fibroids or endometriosis
Lack of progress with physical therapy for symptoms

What To Expect

During your appointment for a trigger point injection at The Center for Advanced Gynecology, your provider will first conduct a thorough evaluation of your medical history and a physical examination to pinpoint the precise areas of muscle causing discomfort. You may be scheduled to come back for the procedure at a later date.

The actual injection process is quick, typically lasting just a few minutes. Your provider will use a small needle to deliver the medication directly into the trigger points. This might cause a brief period of discomfort, which is normal. If injections are done vaginally, application of topical lidocaine is often given to decrease discomfort associated with the injections and inhaled nitrous oxide is also a service we offer for these procedures.

After the injections, you might experience immediate relief. Most patients experience reduced pain within a few days after the injection. Your provider might also recommend a course of stretches or physical therapy to complement the injections and help prevent future pain.

Risks of Trigger Point Injections

While trigger point injections are generally safe, they do carry some risks, which can include:

Infection at the injection site
Temporary pain or swelling
Bleeding or bruise at the needle site
Allergic reaction to medication

Why Choose The Center For Advanced Gynecology

The Center for Advanced Gynecology, established in 2018, is dedicated to improving your health by offering expertise in various areas, with a specific focus on gynecological care and advanced surgical techniques when surgery is needed.

Our team provides specialized expertise in non-surgical treatment of chronic pelvic pain, painful intercourse, pudendal neuralgia, and vaginal, vulvar, and bladder pain.

Since opening our doors, we have recognized the need in our community for more than just specialty care and have a growing practice in routine gynecologic care, cancer screening, Pap smears, menopausal management, hormonal imbalances, hormone replacement therapy, breast care, contraceptive care, urinary incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, trigger point injections can be helpful in managing myofascial pain associated with endometriosis. The pain from endometriosis can lead to pelvic floor and abdominal muscle overactivity and high tone from guarding against endometriosis associated pain. This can result in secondary myofascial pain. By administering trigger point injections directly into these areas, patients will often experience a reduction in the chronic muscle pain that can accompany endometriosis.

Generally speaking, trigger point injections are not used for menstrual cramp related pain. Central lower abdominal cramping pain with menstruation comes from the uterus rather than accessible pelvic and abdominal muscles.

The frequency of trigger point injections depends on your response to treatment and the specific condition. Injections can be repeated every few weeks or months as part of an ongoing pain management strategy. Your provider will evaluate the effectiveness of the injections in providing pain relief and adjust the treatment plan accordingly. If injections provide short term relief your provider will discuss the use of botulinum toxin injections as a longer acting strategy (off label use).

Pain relief from a trigger point injection can vary. Some patients might experience immediate relief, while others might notice improvement within a few days.

Generally, there is minimal to no recovery period required after receiving point injections for gynecological issues. Most patients can resume their normal activities almost immediately. However, there might be temporary soreness or swelling at the injection site, which typically resolves within a few days. Your provider will give specific aftercare instructions to ensure optimal healing and effectiveness of the treatment.

Yes, trigger point injections are almost always covered by medical insurance plans.