Pelvic pain is an issue that affects people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. Pelvic pain can often negatively affect a person’s quality of life because it can significantly impact a person’s physical activity, sleep, and sexual relations.
Pelvic pain injections are becoming increasingly common as a way to help alleviate pelvic pain. These injections, also known as trigger point injections, are often used by doctors to help reduce pelvic muscle tension and spasm.
If you experience chronic pelvic pain and are interested in how to relieve pain in your pelvic area, contact Virgin Islands Neurology. Our experienced healthcare professionals in the U.S. Virgin Islands will create a treatment plan tailored to your needs. Schedule a consultation with us today!
A pelvic pain injection is a form of therapy that aims to reduce pelvic floor muscle tension and alleviate pain in the pelvic area.
These injections work by injecting a short-acting anesthetic into the pelvic floor muscles, which can provide long-term relief from pelvic pain. They have been used to treat conditions such as pelvic floor dysfunction, endometriosis, interstitial cystitis, and myofascial pelvic pain syndrome.
While pelvic floor physical therapy can be beneficial in some cases, pelvic pain injections provide more targeted relief for those who suffer from pelvic-related issues.
Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a type of persistent pain that occurs in the lower abdomen, pelvis, and reproductive organs. It can range from mild to severe and last for months or years. Common symptoms include aching, cramping, burning sensations, an increased urge to urinate, and painful intercourse.
Chronic pelvic pain can disrupt a person’s life physically, emotionally, and sexually. This spasming pain can make it uncomfortable to urinate, pass a stool, or have sex. Some women with chronic pelvic pain may even experience tight jaw muscles due to pelvic pain.
Chronic pelvic pain has many causes, including:
When pain relief is not found through medication, there are other interventional treatment methods that are available to treat pelvic pain prior to surgical intervention. Some of these methods include the following pelvic pain injections.
During a trigger point injection (TPI), your doctor will use various methods to diagnose which muscles are causing the pain, including palpation and imaging tests such as ultrasound or MRI. Once the trigger points are identified, your doctor will use a thin needle to inject a solution into the affected area of the pelvis.
By injecting this medication, the trigger point is made inactive, and the pain associated with it is relieved. This solution can consist of anesthetic agents and/or corticosteroids and aims to reduce pain, inflammation, and muscle spasms in the targeted area. The results of a TPI are usually relatively quick and can last up to several months.
A sympathetic nerve block (also known as a ganglion block) is a type of procedure that involves injecting an anesthetic or steroid medication into the area around the sympathetic nerves (the nerves that radiate from your spine throughout the rest of your body) in order to block them from sending pain signals to your brain.
After the injection, patients often experience immediate relief with continued improvement over time as the swelling around the nerves decreases.
A sympathetic nerve block can provide long-term relief from pelvic discomfort by disrupting pathways that produce pain signals in the body. Studies have shown that after undergoing a sympathetic nerve block, some people experience complete elimination of their symptoms for months at a time.
A somatic nerve block is an injection of an anesthetic or corticosteroid directly into the nerves in the pelvis. It blocks the nerves that cause pain in the pelvis and interrupts the signals of pain throughout the body.
In some cases, it can provide immediate relief from pelvic pain, while in other cases, it may take multiple injections to achieve long-term relief. Somatic nerve blocks typically take less than 15 minutes to complete and are performed on an outpatient basis in an ambulatory surgery center or doctor’s office.
In addition to pelvic injections, pelvic floor physical therapy can be a great resource for those seeking relief from pelvic pain. This therapy focuses on strengthening the pelvic muscles and stretching them to reduce tension and improve mobility—both of which can help alleviate pelvic discomfort.
Typically, patients will notice relief in their pelvic pain within 24 to 48 hours after receiving pelvic pain injection therapy. Depending on the cause of the pelvic pain and its severity, some may experience complete resolution of their symptoms within a few days or weeks. However, for chronic cases of pelvic pain, more than one round of injections may be needed for optimal results.
Following pelvic pain injection therapy, it is generally recommended that patients take proactive steps to maintain their physical health. This could include practicing regular stretching exercises and engaging in low-impact activities such as walking and swimming. Doing so can help reduce the chances of requiring additional rounds of injections in the future.
If you’re interested in finding relief from pelvic pain through pelvic pain injection therapy, contact our expert healthcare professionals at Virgin Islands Neurology. Our experienced and caring doctors will educate you about the process of pelvic pain injections and choose a plan of treatment that is tailored to your condition.
Call our office in the U.S. Virgin Islands today to schedule an appointment!
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