With the patient lying on his or her stomach or sitting upright on the exam table, the trigger point is located by manual palpation, and the site is marked. The site is then cleaned with alcohol or a skin cleanser. The needle containing a minimal amount of medication is then inserted into the trigger point. It’s not the medication that actually makes the TPI effective. It’s the needle insertion into the “trigger zone” or the palpable nodule of lactic acid that accumulates in the muscle as a direct result of muscle fiber tears from either an acute injury or chronic muscular stress. An adhesive bandage may be applied after. Ice and heat may be used after if pain occurs after the TPI, but there is usually minimal discomfort. If you feel like you can benefit from trigger point injections, contact our physical medicine in Valley Stream today.