Injections
In some cases, injecting patients with corticosteroids or local anesthetics work to relieve different types of pain. The medications should be injected in particular areas known as trigger points. Thus, the name of the technique is “trigger point injections.”
The evidence for trigger point injections is difficult to ascertain because it is known that injecting any type of substance into taut bands of muscle causes pain relief. Thus, it is not always easy to compare a treatment arm with a placebo and find whether or not patients improve with the corticosteroids, local anesthetics, or the injection itself.
Another option would be injecting the botulinum toxin, which is apparently more effective than trigger point injections. However, the evidence in clinical trials is not very clear and requires confirmation with more extensive trials.
Depending on the type of pain, doctors may also try epidural corticosteroid injections. This type of treatment works for cervical radiculopathy. They can be administered alone or with local anesthetics. They are known to improve different types of pain, including that of spinal stenosis, herniated discs, and failed neck surgery syndrome. Pain improvements are known to last longer than intramuscular injections, and they can be combined with conservative treatment for better results.
Finally, we also have selective nerve root blocks, a type of injection directly into the nerve root that shuts down the nerve causing neuropathic pain. This type of injection provides temporary relief. It is usually performed in patients requiring neck pain surgery to identify the source of the problem accurately. Surgical outcomes improve in patients who receive diagnostic injections.