Home

►►Appointments ►►►Contact Us   ►►Laser Hair ►►►Hormones Supplements

DARROW
WELLNESS INSTITUTE

Los Angeles specialists for chronic joint and back pain, ligament and tendon injury CALL US (1-800-734-2210

Darrow Wellness Institute

Appointment Information Click Here

Home
Appointment Info
Contact Us
Laser Hair
Hormones
Dr. Darrow Videos
Prolotherapy
Acute Pain
Chronic Pain
Pain Management
Types of Chronic Pain
Pain Management Drugs
Pain and Acupuncture
Electrical Stimulation
Nerve Blocks

Radio Shows OnLine

 

Trigger Point Injections for Muscle Pain
Hans Kraus introduced a great advancement in the treatment of muscle pain in 1937 when he pioneered the use of vapocoolant spray to treat muscle pain and relieve trigger points. In 1970, Kraus published a book on the beneficial effects of exercise on patients with
back pain.
   
Janet G. Travell, M.D., reached prominence as the personal physician to Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Baines Johnson. David Simons, M.D., was a U.S. Air Force flight surgeon conducting experiments in the nascent field of Aerospace Medical Research when he and Travell met at the School of Aerospace Medicine.
   
Together they produced one of the most comprehensive reference manuals in the history of pain medicine, "
Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual," an exhaustive presentation covering every practical aspect of trigger point therapy. It included descriptions of techniques and ingredients to maps of all the known trigger point reference patterns.
   
Diagnostic procedures include testing for taut bands of muscle fiber, twitch response, and applied pressure to check for referred pain triggers. There is evidence to suggest that trigger points are caused by impaired circulation and/or an increased metabolic demand.

Skeletal muscle tissue accounts for about 40% of our body weight, and includes nearly 700 individual muscles. When active trigger points are present, passive or active stretching of the muscle produces pain. This pain can occur with the slightest activity or even at rest. Biofeedback has proven that muscles are in a state of contraction and activity even when we believe we are at rest.
               
When myofascial pain is related to a single muscle trauma, or exhibits a stable pattern over any length of time, it is usually easy to diagnose and treat.

In cases where pain appears in multiple muscles, spreads to other areas, or there is evidence of increasing fibrosis or other contributing factors, pain can be very difficult to diagnose and treat. Once the proper diagnosis is ascertained, however, various treatments are available to deal with the problem effectively.
   
Knowledge of the referred pain pattern characteristic of each muscle is often the most important single source of information used in diagnosing pain.

The patient's examination begins with observation of their posture, movements, body structure and symmetry. It progresses with specialized screening movements to isolate the problem areas and identify trigger points.

However, tendons,
ligaments and joint capsules may also refer pain to areas distant from the actual trigger point. Tender points, which are points that are sore with pressure or palpation of the doctor's hand, may also be treated with trigger point injections or Prolotherapy. Unlike the dry needle of
acupuncture, the trigger point or Prolotherapy needles deliver fluid to the target area to be treated. By puncturing the tissue, trauma to the area is caused, resulting in a rush of white blood cells to the area that provokes an anti-inflammatory reaction and stimulates the healing process. Frequently, in trigger point therapy the physician will use a local anesthetic solution such as lidocaine to relieve the pain as well.

The deep tissue injection of the trigger point attacks the problem directly, causing physical changes and subsequent, histological composition of the tissue provoked by the needle.
   
Prolotherapy takes trigger point theory a step further, by adding an irritant solution, like dextrose or
phenol to the injection process.

This irritant solution helps speed up the proliferation of new
collagen tissue.

It is highly effective for rejuvenation of joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Acupuncture, trigger point therapy, and Prolotherapy are basically variations of the same therapeutic process, all originating from ancient medical arts, best known in China and Greece.

Continue with article>>>

<<<Go Back To Part 1

Back Pain
Elbow Pain
Golf Injuries
Headaches
Hip Pelvic Pain
Knee Pain
Neck Pain
Shoulder Pain
Whiplash
Wrist Pain
Side Effects of
   Prolotherapy


 A Multi-Disciplinary Clinic For Professional and Amateur Athletes and Chronic Pain Sufferers
11645 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 120 Los Angeles, CA (310) 231-7000

Patient's stories herein, and the language used, is intended to inform and educate. HOWEVER, it does not imply that you or anyone else will receive the same outcome.

Prolotherapy and other modalities mentioned are medical techniques that may not be considered mainstream. As with any medical procedure, results will vary among individuals, and there could be pain or substantial risks involved. These concerns should be discussed with your health care provider prior to any treatment so that you have proper informed consent and understand that there are no guarantees to healing.


Neither
Dr. Darrow, nor any associate of DARROW WELLNESS INSTITUTE offer medical advice on this website. This information is offered for educational purposes only. Do not act or rely upon our information without seeking independent professional medical advice. The transmission of this information does not create a physician-patient relationship between you and Dr. Darrow or any associate of DARROW WELLNESS INSTITUTE. Neither Dr. Darrow, nor any associate of DARROW WELLNESS INSTITUTE guarantees the accuracy, completeness, usefulness, or adequacy of any resources, information, apparatus, product, or process available at or from this transmission. The photos in this Web site feature models for illustrative purposes and do not depict real patients.

DARROW WELLNESS INSTITUTE, INC  IS HIPAA COMPLIANT. HIPPA IS SHORT FOR THE HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT. HIPAA PROTECTS PATIENTS' PRIVACY & PERSONAL HEALTHCARE INFORMATION.