What Are Trigger Point Injections?
Trigger point injections are a targeted treatment for painful knots that develop in muscles when they fail to relax. These tight bands of muscle fiber — called myofascial trigger points — can cause localized pain, referred pain in other parts of your body, and restricted movement that interferes with daily activities.
During a trigger point injection, Dr. Qureshi inserts a small needle directly into the trigger point and delivers a combination of local anesthetic and, when indicated, a small amount of corticosteroid. The injection relaxes the contracted muscle fibers, interrupts the pain cycle, and allows the muscle to return to its normal resting state.
Trigger point injections are one of the most straightforward and effective procedures in pain management. The entire treatment takes approximately 10–15 minutes, is performed in-office, and most patients experience noticeable relief within 24–72 hours.
Conditions Treated with Trigger Point Injections
Trigger point injections are effective for a range of musculoskeletal pain conditions, including:
Myofascial pain syndrome — the most common indication. Myofascial pain involves chronic muscle pain with identifiable trigger points that reproduce your symptoms when pressed. Unlike generalized muscle soreness, myofascial pain follows specific patterns and persists beyond normal healing time.
Tension headaches and cervicogenic headaches — trigger points in the trapezius, sternocleidomastoid, and suboccipital muscles are a frequent and underdiagnosed cause of chronic headaches. Injecting these trigger points can provide rapid headache relief when medications have not been effective.
Chronic neck pain — tight, knotted muscles in the cervical and upper thoracic region often develop after prolonged desk work, poor posture, whiplash injuries, or stress. Trigger point injections combined with postural correction can break the cycle of chronic neck tension.
Chronic low back pain with muscular component — while many causes of low back pain involve spinal structures, a significant subset involves the paraspinal muscles, quadratus lumborum, and piriformis. When muscle tension is contributing to your pain, trigger point injections address the muscular component directly.
Shoulder and upper back pain — the rhomboids, levator scapulae, and infraspinatus muscles commonly develop trigger points that cause persistent shoulder blade pain and limited overhead movement.
Fibromyalgia — while fibromyalgia is a systemic condition, trigger point injections can provide targeted relief for the most painful focal areas and are often used as part of a broader treatment strategy.
What Happens During a Trigger Point Injection
The procedure is performed in our Katy, TX office and does not require sedation or fasting.
Before the injection: Dr. Qureshi performs a focused physical examination to locate your trigger points by palpation — pressing on the muscle to identify the taut bands and reproduce your pain pattern. This step is critical because the success of the injection depends on precise needle placement into the trigger point itself.
During the injection: After cleaning the skin with antiseptic, Dr. Qureshi inserts a thin needle into the trigger point. You may feel a brief twitch response — a quick, involuntary contraction of the muscle — which is actually a positive sign that the needle is in the correct location. A small volume of local anesthetic (typically lidocaine) is injected, sometimes combined with a low-dose corticosteroid for trigger points with significant surrounding inflammation.
In some cases, Dr. Qureshi may use a dry needling technique — inserting the needle without medication — which mechanically disrupts the contracted muscle fibers. The choice between wet injection and dry needling depends on the specific trigger point location, chronicity, and your response to prior treatments.
After the injection: You may feel soreness at the injection site for 1–2 days, similar to post-exercise muscle soreness. Applying ice for 15–20 minutes and gentle stretching of the treated muscle accelerates recovery. Most patients can return to normal activities immediately, though avoiding strenuous exercise for 24 hours is recommended.
How Many Injections Will I Need?
The number of trigger point injections varies based on how many trigger points are identified and how your body responds to treatment.
A single session may involve injections into one trigger point or several — it is common to treat 3–5 trigger points in a single visit. Many patients experience significant relief after one session. For chronic myofascial pain or recurring trigger points, a series of 2–4 sessions spaced 2–4 weeks apart typically produces the best sustained results.
Trigger point injections work most effectively when combined with physical therapy, stretching, postural correction, and ergonomic modifications that address the underlying causes of muscle tension. Dr. Qureshi will discuss a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to your specific condition.
Dealing with persistent muscle pain or tension headaches? Dr. Qureshi can determine if trigger point injections are right for you. Call (281) 982-2144 to schedule your consultation.
Why Choose Dr. Qureshi for Trigger Point Injections
Dr. Imran Qureshi is a board-certified interventional spine and sports medicine physician with specialized training in musculoskeletal pain management. His approach combines precise injection technique with a thorough understanding of muscle pain patterns to ensure each injection targets the exact source of your pain.
Our Katy, TX office serves patients from Cinco Ranch, Fulshear, Sugar Land, Richmond, Cypress, and the greater West Houston area. Most major insurance plans cover trigger point injections. Call (281) 982-2144 to schedule your consultation.