OVERVIEW.

Trigger point therapy involves needling or repeated insertion and withdrawal of a needle¹ into muscle tissue² with the goal of mechanically breaking up pockets of fibrotic tissue that entrap nerve endings and a sensitizing substance in order to interrupt a pain cycle.¹ Trigger point therapy includes both injection therapy and noninjection modalities such as spray and stretch (i.e., vapocoolants; see Cryotherapy).¹ This section will cover injection therapy for trigger points.

SUMMARY: CONTRAINDICATIONS AND PRECAUTIONS.

Three sources list 15 concerns for trigger point therapy that ranged from six to nine per source. The largest proportion of concerns was blood or procedurally related. The most frequently cited concerns were gross coagulation defects and local infections.

In general, except for pregnancy and some psychiatric concerns, issues listed here are also mentioned under concerns for injection therapy (see Injection therapy). Because trigger points are regarded as a problem of reflex irritability rather than inflammation, corticosteroids are not typically recommended during trigger point therapy.¹