Can Trigger Point Injections Help My Back Spasms?

The prevalence of acute low back pain in the United States is considerable — a quarter of adults report the problem in the prior three months. While there are many conditions that can lead to low back pain, back spasms rank among the more common.

Whether it’s your first experience with a back spasm or you’ve had them before, all you know is that you want relief from the pain. A great way to achieve this relief is through trigger point injection therapy, which goes straight to the heart of your spasm and releases the tight muscles.

At Valliant Life Medical, our team has had great success using trigger point injection therapy to help patients with back spasms, and we can do the same for you.

Here’s how.

Behind the spasm

A spasm is a condition in which your muscles contract and tighten, often painfully, and form a knot. This knot of tense muscle tissue can then pull on other muscles and soft tissues in the area, creating more widespread discomfort.

The reason why your muscles start to spasm is in efforts to protect themselves against strain — they become tighter to prevent you from pulling them too far. Spasms in your back typically occur due to overusing your back muscles or due to an anatomical issue that prompts your muscles to contract more frequently.

Targeting the knot

Trigger point injections can help with back spasms because they’re designed to release the muscle tension. More specifically, we target the tight myofascial tissue (the thin membrane that surrounds your muscles) that’s created the trigger point for your muscle spasm.

The injections themselves contain a local anesthetic for pain relief and a steroid to reduce inflammation. If you’d prefer not to use any medications, we can also use dry needling. We still use a needle to infiltrate the trigger point to release the tissue, but we don’t release the medications.

What you can expect after your trigger point injection therapy

Most patients realize relief from their back spasm within 24-48 hours of their trigger point injections. While the injections can release the knot, your muscles may still be sore from tension for a few days, so it’s important to be patient.

Once you’re able to move around more freely, you should also consider a few sessions of physical therapy. During these visits, we provide you with muscle-strengthening exercises that can prevent future spasms, as well as stretching exercises that relieve tension in your back muscles.

As well, some chiropractic care can also help to resolve any misalignments in your spine that may have led to the spasm in the first place.

If you’d like to learn more about your treatment options for a painful back spasm, please contact our office in Fort Worth, Texas, to set up an appointment.