• 24 Jun, 2026
• UnityPain
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Trigger Point Injections for Headaches | Unity Pain

When Headaches Won’t Let You Live Your Life

If you have been living with headaches that come back again and again, you know how exhausting it can be. Maybe you have tried over-the-counter medicines, rest, and ice packs — but the pain keeps returning. You might feel like no one truly understands how much this affects your daily life. You are not alone, and there are options that may help when other treatments have not worked well enough.

One option that some people find helpful is called a trigger point injection. This is a simple, in-office procedure that targets tight, painful spots in your muscles that may be contributing to your headaches. Understanding how trigger point injections work — and whether they might be right for you — is a good first step toward feeling better.

What Are Trigger Points?

A trigger point is a tight knot or band inside a muscle. When you press on one, it can cause pain right there — and sometimes in other areas, too. This is called referred pain. For headaches, trigger points are often found in the muscles of the neck, shoulders, and upper back. When these spots stay tight and irritated, they can send pain up into your head.

Trigger points can form for many reasons. Poor posture, stress, injury, and repetitive movements are all common causes. Sitting at a desk or looking at a phone for long hours can make the muscles in your neck and shoulders tense up over time. When these muscles are constantly tight, it can lead to frequent headaches that feel hard to shake.

What Are Trigger Point Injections?

A trigger point injection is a procedure where a doctor uses a small needle to inject medicine directly into a trigger point. The medicine may include a local anesthetic, a corticosteroid, or sometimes just saline (salt water). The injection helps relax the tight muscle and calm the irritated nerve endings inside it.

The procedure is usually done quickly, right in the doctor’s office. Most people say it feels like a brief, sharp pinch. After the injection, the muscle may feel sore for a day or two — similar to how muscles feel after a workout. Many patients are able to return to their normal activities the same day. A healthcare provider will evaluate your specific situation before recommending this treatment, since every person’s pain is different.

How Trigger Point Injections May Help Headaches

Headaches that are linked to muscle tension are sometimes called tension-type headaches or cervicogenic headaches. Cervicogenic headaches start in the neck and refer pain into the head. Research suggests that trigger points in the neck and shoulder muscles may play a role in both of these headache types.

By injecting the trigger point directly, the goal is to release the muscle knot and interrupt the pain signals traveling to your head. Some patients report feeling relief after one or a small series of injections. However, results are different for everyone, and injections are often most helpful when combined with other treatments like physical therapy, stretching, or changes in posture and daily habits. No treatment can guarantee pain relief, but trigger point injections may be one useful tool in a broader care plan.

What to Expect During Your Visit

Before any injection is given, your provider will take time to understand your history. They will ask about when your headaches started, where you feel the pain, how often they occur, and what makes them better or worse. They may gently press on certain muscles to find the trigger points. This evaluation helps make sure the treatment is a good fit for your situation.

During the procedure, you will usually sit or lie down comfortably. The skin over the trigger point will be cleaned, and the doctor will insert a thin needle into the tight muscle. The injection itself takes only a few seconds per site. If you have multiple trigger points, your provider may treat more than one area in the same visit. Afterward, they may recommend gentle stretching or physical therapy to help keep the muscles from tightening back up.

Who Might Benefit From Trigger Point Injections?

Trigger point injections may be a good option for people who have chronic tension headaches, cervicogenic headaches, or headaches that seem to come from tight muscles in the neck and shoulders. They may also help people whose headaches have not improved enough with oral medications or other conservative treatments.

They are not right for everyone. People who have infections at the injection site, certain bleeding disorders, or allergies to the medicines used may not be good candidates. This is why a thorough evaluation by a qualified provider is so important before moving forward. At Unity Pain Management in Modesto, CA, the team takes the time to review your full medical history and discuss all of your options so you can make informed decisions about your care.

Taking the Next Step Toward Headache Relief

Living with frequent headaches can feel discouraging, especially when you have already tried many things without lasting results. It is important to remember that chronic pain is complex, and finding the right approach often takes time and a combination of treatments. You deserve a care team that listens and works with you — not just at you.

If you think trigger point injections might be worth exploring, speaking with a pain management specialist is a great place to start. Unity Pain Management is an insurance-friendly clinic serving the Modesto area and offers trigger point injections along with a full range of pain management services, including medication management, joint injections, and telehealth visits. Reaching out for a professional evaluation is a meaningful step toward reclaiming your quality of life.

References

• Fernández-de-las-Peñas, César, and Jan Dommerholt. “International Consensus on Diagnostic Criteria and Clinical Considerations of Myofascial Trigger Points.” Pain Medicine. 2018.
• Robbins, Matthew S., et al. “Trigger Point Injections for Headache Disorders: Expert Consensus Methodology and Narrative Review.” Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain. 2019.
• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. “Headache: Hope Through Research.” National Institutes of Health. 2023.
• Bodes Pardo, G., et al. “Manual Treatment for Cervicogenic Headache and Active Trigger Point in the Sternocleidomastoid Muscle: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial.” Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2018.
• Mayo Clinic Staff. “Trigger Point Injection.” Mayo Clinic. 2023.