http://www.clevelandclinic.org/healt...asp?index=4417

Well, I looked a little on my own, too and answered my own question...According to this site a trigger point injection is a type of nerve block.


My understanding with the Botox is that it will relax the muscles longish term. Dr Jordan does both the scalenes and the pec minor and I think one more that i am forgetting. I am then supposed to be able to stretch and do more effective physical therapy resulting in a long term improvement. He said most people do not even require a second injection as long as they regulate the activities that cause them trouble. If they don't, then they often have to come back.

I am interested to see how it goes...because I am not in a lot of pain all the time unless I am doing something to aggravate it. So, if I work on the computer too long, my arm hurts. If I lift the kids too much, sit with my head drooping, carry to heavy of a bag, etc, my arms and my neck and shoulders hurt. But If I sit all day on the couch and watch TV (and the kids go to daycare) I usually feel just fine. I don't really take meds regularly, because I am still nursing my youngest, Just occaisional advil when it is really bad. (Except for the last two weeks I have been taking percocet at night because of the pain from the initial nerve block test procedure)

Anyhow, I really appreciate hearing others' stories. Thanks.

Johanna

I suppose they can inject either the nerve or the actual trigger point area in the muscle.

I thought since it was called trigger point injection that they did inject into the actual TrP spot.
I suppose it is a case by case decsion, what would be best.

I forgot about the many kinds of injections they can use- saline, novacaine/marcaine, botox, steroids or dry needle.

Dr Togut uses Marcaine, due to the longevity of the the medication, like I said with the trigger point injections is to respect the releif that you get, you will feel as though you are back to your old self and over doing it in the beginning will cause you to hurt more when the Marcaine wears off , though if you give the nerves and muscles a chance to relax after being injected and start doing stuff at a slow pace you may get up to several weeks of limited pain ! Like somebody here stated that each and everyone is different and it may or may not work. I also think it goes by the skill of the doctor administering the medication !

we used these as post op pain nerve indwelling catheters for our below knee amputations for cancer usually young men with sarcoma.....worked well till catheter removed from nerve....

please tell me more about his if you know.

thanks
Victoria

just got one last week

the muscles he injected them into still hurt

I've had a spasm in my right trap for well over a year, and it's nearly deflated (really weird)

I'm still in a world of pain

I'm hoping some physical therapy and chiropractor vists will help

I'm not sure if I was better off without it

That dosn't sound good.....hope things turn out for the better knowing that marcaine is an anesthetic it should work quite quickly unless the doctor hit trigger points and flared things....but still the anest. should have calmed things down......I hope you get some relief soon.....

Take care,
Victoria
ps pt makes me wayyyyyyyyyy worse after any kind of treatment make sure they are well knowlaged about tos and your marcaine shots....not to make any accusations.....just thinking of your health and its possible poor outcome with bad pt....cause let me tell you that sucks and is a world of hurt been there done that comp made me go and I actually passed out doing overhead exercises.....contraindicated with tos......they denied I had it despite a doc's diagnosis....anyhow long story short....passed out due to lack of blood to brain......maybey that is my prob stilll

take care,
Victoria

This was a Botox shot, right? When I had my test nerve block (the pre-test to the botox with my doctor) I hurt really bad for two weeks. (really bad defined as: I missed 4 days of work and took percocet 1-2 times per day, could NOT sleep without it due to neck spasms), and then it started to get better. I am three weeks out from the block tomorrow, and this weekend I was finally feeling pretty good. Of course, I am scheduled for Botox in the same spots now on wednesday...

I am expecting the experience to be similar. My Doc promised plenty of pain meds, a doctors note to get out of work, and that the long term improvement would be worth it.

Anyhow, good luck..and keep us posted. I really hope it helps you. I'd give it at least two to three weeks before you give up on it.


Side note: I am only on percocet because I am nursing and though it can make my daughter sleepy, it is generally safer than other options. I don't take anything most of the time.


Johanna

Well, Just checking in to say I had my botox shots last week and I am doing OK. I had my doctor do both sides at the alst minute...figuring that I would eventually be back if he didn't do them that day. So far it hasn't been as bad as the nerve block. I have been taking vicadin off and on when things are really bothering me, but I am back to work today and thus far (2 hours in) I am OK.

Still planning to give it two weeks before I decide if it was really helpful. I do notice that when I do shoulder circles I am having a lot of popping and clicking. I don't think I had that before... don't know what to make of it.


Johanna

Another update...two weeks post procedure i am starting to feel better.
I have also been doing sharon butler's stretches (just moved to week 3) very regularly. Going to meet with a chiro today...to see if he can also help.


I have been thinking about the first diagnosis i got before the TOS...tendonitis and wrist sprain, both sides. I wonder how much of that causes the wrist pain i experience on the computer? Or would it be tolerable but the TOS makes it worse. I sprained my wrists in march...seems like that ought to have gotten significantly better....but I can't relaly strengthen the muscles around because it aggravates my traps so much.

oh well...just thinking out loud.

Johanna

My very first dx was bilateral wrist strain in 99.
About half way up my forearms were affected too.
A weird vibration/buzzing inside the forearms/muscles.

Thinking back it very well could have been a precursor to TOS.
Was only a yr after I had recovered {about 85% anyway} from the "wrist strain" that I began to have the shoulder/neck/upperback sx {twice} and then the final combo of all of those and more in 2003.

I think your idea of a multi pronged approach is a good one- there was a few things that one provider /tx didn't catch and another did- and boy I am so grateful for that.