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Trigger Point InjectionsTargeted trigger point injections to release taut, painful bands of muscle that refer pain to the head, back, and limbs — performed by board-certified pain management physicians at Remix Medical in Houston, TX.

Specialty
Pain Management
Type
Procedure
Body location
Trapezius, levator scapulae, rhomboids, quadratus lumborum, gluteus medius, piriformis, paraspinal muscles
CPT code
20552 (injection, single or multiple trigger points, 1 or 2 muscles); 20553 (3 or more muscles); 76942 (ultrasound guidance, when reported separately)

Also known as: TPI, Myofascial Trigger Point Injection, Muscle Knot Injection, Dry Needling

Trigger Point Injections in Houston, Texas

A trigger point is a taut, palpable band within a muscle that hurts when pressed and refers pain somewhere else entirely. Press one in the upper trapezius and the patient feels it behind the eye. Press one in the gluteus medius and the pain runs down the leg like sciatica.

They are common, frequently missed, and mercifully easy to treat.

What is a Trigger Point Injection?

A trigger point injection places a fine needle directly into the taut band and delivers a small volume of local anesthetic — sometimes with corticosteroid, often with nothing at all beyond the needle itself.

Much of the therapeutic effect comes from the mechanical disruption of the contracted muscle fibers. Dry needling, which uses no medication at all, works on the same principle.

What It Treats

  • Myofascial pain syndrome , the most common indication
  • Chronic neck and upper back pain , particularly in desk workers
  • Tension-type and cervicogenic headaches driven by suboccipital and trapezius trigger points
  • Low back pain with paraspinal or quadratus lumborum involvement
  • Piriformis syndrome and buttock pain mimicking sciatica
  • Fibromyalgia , as an adjunct to broader management
  • Post-surgical and post-traumatic muscle guarding

An Honest Framing

Trigger point injections give real relief, and the relief is often short. Their value lies in what they enable: a window in which stretching, strengthening, and postural retraining become possible. Injecting a trigger point without addressing why the muscle keeps contracting produces a patient who returns every six weeks indefinitely.

We treat the trigger point and then look upstream — at posture, at ergonomics, at the joint or disc that is making the muscle work overtime.

Relief from Muscular Pain at Remix Medical

Contact Remix Medical to schedule a consultation with a board-certified pain management physician in Houston.

How it's performed

The physician palpates the muscle to locate the taut band and the point of maximal tenderness, often eliciting a local twitch response or reproducing the patient's referred pain. The skin is cleansed and a fine needle is advanced into the trigger point. A small volume of local anesthetic is injected as the needle is repositioned in a fanning motion to mechanically disrupt the contracted fibers. Ultrasound guidance is used near the chest wall to avoid the pleura.

How to prepare

No fasting required and you may drive yourself. Hold anticoagulants only as directed by the prescribing physician. Wear clothing that allows access to the affected area. Be prepared to point out the exact spots that hurt — your localization guides the procedure.

What to expect after

Expect local soreness for 24 to 48 hours. Apply moist heat rather than ice, which patients generally find more comfortable for muscular pain. Begin gentle stretching of the treated muscle the same day — this is essential, and the point of the procedure. Stay hydrated. Report fever, spreading redness, or shortness of breath after any injection near the chest wall.

Outcome

Most patients experience immediate reduction in muscular pain and improved range of motion, with relief typically lasting days to weeks. The greatest value comes from using that window to progress with stretching, strengthening, and correction of the underlying postural or structural cause.

Your physician

Your pain management at Remix Medical.

Every clinician at Remix Medical is board-certified and owns the practice — so the physician in your exam room is the one making decisions about your care.

  • Raju Mantena, DO

    Pain Medicine Physician

    Medical Center — South Freeway · Montrose — Upper Kirby · Pearland

    Board certifiedAccepting newBook

This page is for general education and is not a substitute for medical advice. Whether a given procedure is appropriate depends on your individual evaluation. Contact a Remix Medical clinician to discuss your care.

Updated July 9, 2026.

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