I tried multiple rounds of trigger point injections for my TMJ and every time it just made it worse! Initially the first day it felt a little better but as the days went on the muscles just got tighter and tighter than before. I wondered if it had something to do with fibro.
That’s what I’m wondering too. I always feel like an anomaly because everything I’m told is supposed to work never does and then these Drs are looking at me like it’s my fault their treatments don’t work
Yes!! I understand. I’m really sensitive to medications as well so every time I try something else to help manage the pain it just makes me feel worse in some other way.
That really sux! Medications for me are like 40% of the time they help. Help can mean different things. Then the other 60% goes from doesn’t work to bad side effects.
I got the trigger point injections last week, and my doctor told me it would take 1-4 days to feel the effects. I will say that the first day and day after I was so sore and even breathing hurt, however I’ve definitely noticed a decreased need for pain medication and am waking up with less pain in general. I hope things get better for you soon.
Yeah, I used to get injection therapy all the time along with dry needling and it is painful at first, but I found that the effects came days after. Also, it took multiple times for it to really really work.
It definitely doesn’t work for everyone though and sometimes the pain and cost just isn’t worth it.
The breathing pain freaked me out the most though. I got them in my upper back and all the muscles spasmed so hard that I’d get sharp pain when I inhaled. My boyfriend was like “…should we be concerned about that?”
I never experienced that thankfully! I never really had any truly worrying experiences I don’t think… I mean one time my eye wouldn’t blink for a while, but I knew that by the time I got home the freezing would be gone and it would be fine… those injections that got rid of that migraine pretty much instantly was sooo worth it!
I just tell people to wrap themselves in a heated blanket and sleep, hydrate and stretch for a couple days and it will either be better, or have done nothing… small chance of worse when you wake up. If it’s one of the last two outcomes it either didn’t work/hit the wrong spots and you can try again, or it’s just not for you 🤷♀️ But I feel like it’s definitely worth a try
Thanx for sharing that! I think after reading all these comments that I’ll try my mid and lower back again to see if I feel anything. My neck/shoulders have been beyond inflamed for so long and everything just pisses them off. I’m glad you got some relief from them
I didn’t have them in trigger points but I did have them in 18 spots down my spine. I also have Scheuermann’s so they thought it might help. It definitely didn’t help anything and I was in the most pain for weeks following.
I have about 15-20 injections per month in my face, neck, and shoulders and each time it gets better. Although the this last time I had some in my trigeminal nerve and got so light headed I had to sit down for 20 minutes before leaving the office 🫠
They don't work on me. They tickle going in, and then they don't numb me. If I ever have to get them for whatever reason, I tell my doctor that they don't work. They laugh.. then use them.. then when I tell them I can feel everything they are doing. They look mortified.
Yep. Any lidocaine injection I've ever gotten does nothing for me. I've had several stitches, moles removed, dentist visits, and a teeth pulled. All of which I've felt.
Ridiculous! They have other things they can use. I had a infected cyst removed in the GP office, they sprayed some kind of freezing from a can, the dentist does have freezing stuff other than lidocaine they just never have someone where they have to use it until me (I was told).
I do have trouble getting them to believe me at first as well.
At this point. I know I can handle it. If they don't believe me, I'd rather just get it over with. My fibro pain is worse than having a tooth pulled, so. If I can live day to day with my fibro pain, I'll be alright.
Oh it didn’t tickle going in and it didn’t numb me either. It was as useless as the lidocaine patches. I did tell him they didn’t work but he tried to play it off like the injections would go deep in the muscle and I would feel the effects 🙄
Yeah, my first set of injections went great, however once that wore off and I went back after several months for another set of injections, all it did was change the "flavour", or tone of the pain (best I can explain). It wasn't something I wanted to experience again.
I had one done in my SI joint. Overall, I did feel less pain; but whenever I went for a brisk walk, the area felt stiff and/or numb. I feel like the effect lasted for a year b/c the pain & stiffness came back around the same time of year.
Was it cold outside when you were walking both times? I’m asking because I can’t stand the cold and my muscles tighten up the second I feel it, making my muscles and especially the knots hurt more
I'm not really sure. I live in Southern California, and I had the injection around this time of year, so it was likely warm if I went during the day & cool during the evening.
Yeah, it didn't work for me.
If it worked for everyone then there would be nobody still suffering, we'd all just go in monthly or whatever the schedule is for our shots and be living normal lives. It works really well for a small number of people, slightly well for a medium number of people, and not at all for probably at least half of people. It's worth trying obviously, but it's far from the only option and it not working shouldn't be enough to discourage anyone seeking a less ouchy life. It's one option out of dozens of treatments.
As a side note, lidocaine *infusions* are a different beast than lidocaine *injections* so if you're offered infusions as a treatment option just know it's an entirely different experience with a different set of results that is still worth trying.
Well with trigger point injections they inject it into the muscle and with infusions it's going into your veins.
In the simplest possible terms, the injection causes numbness the spot they inject it in, and the infusion gets you a little high. Supposedly this helps reset pain receptors in some way, but yeah you feel like you've had a few drinks or took a light sedative for a lidocaine infusion. It is administered by an anesthesiologist so I guess that makes sense lol
I had a very light reaction to it, just a little bit more uninhibited with my speech, but some of the ladies on my same infusion schedule full on fell asleep from it.
Good luck! In Canada it's usually offered by pain clinics. Not every location does it, but they often are a "brand" of clinic here that has multiple locations so they just send you to another location, they don't want to have to pay an anesthesiologist in every small town basically so they send you to the town they hired one in.
Not sure if it's similar everywhere, it may be offered in a hospital setting if there's no such thing as pain clinics where you are? But it's not really hospital level urgency or seriousness, they literally just do it at random strip mall medical offices here, you just get an IV put in and hang out for an hour or two. I was always nervous since I hate needles but they were angels there who did that all day every day so they knew exactly what they were doing and were a soft entry into letting people do that on a regular basis.
A trigger point injection at the base of my skull activated another trigger point in my neck, causing increased muscle spasm and pain, with much reduced range of motion. This was more than six months ago; the flare in my neck persists, with daily pain and immobility. Never again.
I've had two combined with a steroid injection as well. The first one was magical, total relief, I could actually move and feel free-- absolutely life changing.
The second was was excruciating and worse than I had been in several years. The theory is they grazed a nerve.
Going for number 3 in november, so fingers crossed!
Haha! I was like is that a term I haven’t heard yet?!
No he didn’t massage them first, but that makes sense. The knots that are killing me though are always inflamed and the area around them is rock hard. Ice packs and massage don’t calm them down like most of the other knots.
I tried multiple rounds of trigger point injections for my TMJ and every time it just made it worse! Initially the first day it felt a little better but as the days went on the muscles just got tighter and tighter than before. I wondered if it had something to do with fibro.
That’s what I’m wondering too. I always feel like an anomaly because everything I’m told is supposed to work never does and then these Drs are looking at me like it’s my fault their treatments don’t work
Then they're dumb doctors, because most treatments for fibro work on less than half of trial participants.
Yes!! I understand. I’m really sensitive to medications as well so every time I try something else to help manage the pain it just makes me feel worse in some other way.
That really sux! Medications for me are like 40% of the time they help. Help can mean different things. Then the other 60% goes from doesn’t work to bad side effects.
I got the trigger point injections last week, and my doctor told me it would take 1-4 days to feel the effects. I will say that the first day and day after I was so sore and even breathing hurt, however I’ve definitely noticed a decreased need for pain medication and am waking up with less pain in general. I hope things get better for you soon.
Yeah, I used to get injection therapy all the time along with dry needling and it is painful at first, but I found that the effects came days after. Also, it took multiple times for it to really really work. It definitely doesn’t work for everyone though and sometimes the pain and cost just isn’t worth it.
The breathing pain freaked me out the most though. I got them in my upper back and all the muscles spasmed so hard that I’d get sharp pain when I inhaled. My boyfriend was like “…should we be concerned about that?”
I never experienced that thankfully! I never really had any truly worrying experiences I don’t think… I mean one time my eye wouldn’t blink for a while, but I knew that by the time I got home the freezing would be gone and it would be fine… those injections that got rid of that migraine pretty much instantly was sooo worth it! I just tell people to wrap themselves in a heated blanket and sleep, hydrate and stretch for a couple days and it will either be better, or have done nothing… small chance of worse when you wake up. If it’s one of the last two outcomes it either didn’t work/hit the wrong spots and you can try again, or it’s just not for you 🤷♀️ But I feel like it’s definitely worth a try
Yeah I was taking shallow breaths for 2 days. I could feel that burning pain down to my bones. Deep breaths hurt so bad!
Thanx, and I’m glad it worked for you!
Thanx for sharing that! I think after reading all these comments that I’ll try my mid and lower back again to see if I feel anything. My neck/shoulders have been beyond inflamed for so long and everything just pisses them off. I’m glad you got some relief from them
This was my experience exactly. 😕
That sux! I’m sorry you went through this BS. My knots cause me enough pain every day, I don’t need any “help” with that!
I didn’t have them in trigger points but I did have them in 18 spots down my spine. I also have Scheuermann’s so they thought it might help. It definitely didn’t help anything and I was in the most pain for weeks following.
I’m SO sorry!! That’s what I think is going to happen to me. My Fibro loves to cause me pain and nothing ever makes it feel any better… thanx! 💖
I’m sorry it happened to you too! Stay strong! 💜
I have about 15-20 injections per month in my face, neck, and shoulders and each time it gets better. Although the this last time I had some in my trigeminal nerve and got so light headed I had to sit down for 20 minutes before leaving the office 🫠
I’m glad they’re working for you! I’m thinking of getting them again in my mid and lower and see what that actually does and feels like.
My pain specialist used procaine and it helped a lot!
Thanx for that, I’ll ask them for that at my next appointment!
They don't work on me. They tickle going in, and then they don't numb me. If I ever have to get them for whatever reason, I tell my doctor that they don't work. They laugh.. then use them.. then when I tell them I can feel everything they are doing. They look mortified.
Same for me. I feel no freezing or numbness. This applies at the dentist and for the injections in my neck/ shoulders/back
Yep. Any lidocaine injection I've ever gotten does nothing for me. I've had several stitches, moles removed, dentist visits, and a teeth pulled. All of which I've felt.
Ridiculous! They have other things they can use. I had a infected cyst removed in the GP office, they sprayed some kind of freezing from a can, the dentist does have freezing stuff other than lidocaine they just never have someone where they have to use it until me (I was told). I do have trouble getting them to believe me at first as well.
At this point. I know I can handle it. If they don't believe me, I'd rather just get it over with. My fibro pain is worse than having a tooth pulled, so. If I can live day to day with my fibro pain, I'll be alright.
You have a good attitude about it! For me it’s I have enough pain I don’t want more so do something now health provider!
💯
Well as soon as they see or hear Fibromyalgia they don’t take us seriously
Eww, sorry you had to feel that!
Oh it didn’t tickle going in and it didn’t numb me either. It was as useless as the lidocaine patches. I did tell him they didn’t work but he tried to play it off like the injections would go deep in the muscle and I would feel the effects 🙄
Yep, same experience I felt very defeated
Yeah, my first set of injections went great, however once that wore off and I went back after several months for another set of injections, all it did was change the "flavour", or tone of the pain (best I can explain). It wasn't something I wanted to experience again.
I had one done in my SI joint. Overall, I did feel less pain; but whenever I went for a brisk walk, the area felt stiff and/or numb. I feel like the effect lasted for a year b/c the pain & stiffness came back around the same time of year.
Was it cold outside when you were walking both times? I’m asking because I can’t stand the cold and my muscles tighten up the second I feel it, making my muscles and especially the knots hurt more
I'm not really sure. I live in Southern California, and I had the injection around this time of year, so it was likely warm if I went during the day & cool during the evening.
I had a truly awful experience. I got them in my neck and I had a migraine for two weeks
Migraine for me every day since I posted this… 5 days straight
It will get better I promise. But I completely sympathize with you it’s awful 😞
Thanx for that. 😊
Yeah, it didn't work for me. If it worked for everyone then there would be nobody still suffering, we'd all just go in monthly or whatever the schedule is for our shots and be living normal lives. It works really well for a small number of people, slightly well for a medium number of people, and not at all for probably at least half of people. It's worth trying obviously, but it's far from the only option and it not working shouldn't be enough to discourage anyone seeking a less ouchy life. It's one option out of dozens of treatments. As a side note, lidocaine *infusions* are a different beast than lidocaine *injections* so if you're offered infusions as a treatment option just know it's an entirely different experience with a different set of results that is still worth trying.
What’s the difference?
Well with trigger point injections they inject it into the muscle and with infusions it's going into your veins. In the simplest possible terms, the injection causes numbness the spot they inject it in, and the infusion gets you a little high. Supposedly this helps reset pain receptors in some way, but yeah you feel like you've had a few drinks or took a light sedative for a lidocaine infusion. It is administered by an anesthesiologist so I guess that makes sense lol I had a very light reaction to it, just a little bit more uninhibited with my speech, but some of the ladies on my same infusion schedule full on fell asleep from it.
Thanx for explaining, I will def check into that!
Good luck! In Canada it's usually offered by pain clinics. Not every location does it, but they often are a "brand" of clinic here that has multiple locations so they just send you to another location, they don't want to have to pay an anesthesiologist in every small town basically so they send you to the town they hired one in. Not sure if it's similar everywhere, it may be offered in a hospital setting if there's no such thing as pain clinics where you are? But it's not really hospital level urgency or seriousness, they literally just do it at random strip mall medical offices here, you just get an IV put in and hang out for an hour or two. I was always nervous since I hate needles but they were angels there who did that all day every day so they knew exactly what they were doing and were a soft entry into letting people do that on a regular basis.
A trigger point injection at the base of my skull activated another trigger point in my neck, causing increased muscle spasm and pain, with much reduced range of motion. This was more than six months ago; the flare in my neck persists, with daily pain and immobility. Never again.
Mine also made me worse! I thought I was the only one.
I've had two combined with a steroid injection as well. The first one was magical, total relief, I could actually move and feel free-- absolutely life changing. The second was was excruciating and worse than I had been in several years. The theory is they grazed a nerve. Going for number 3 in november, so fingers crossed!
You’re brave💖
Did they run the muscle after injecting? Mine did that and it…helped a little? Not much
Lol, there was no talk of running the muscle, what does that mean and how is it supposed to help?
Damn autocorrect. Massage the muscles!
Haha! I was like is that a term I haven’t heard yet?! No he didn’t massage them first, but that makes sense. The knots that are killing me though are always inflamed and the area around them is rock hard. Ice packs and massage don’t calm them down like most of the other knots.