Today I had my first set of trigger point injections. A trigger point is a super-sensitive band of muscle, tendon, or ligament that causes pain. I had seven trigger points identified around my back and shoulder area. The doctor first fills a syringe with a tiny amount of lidocaine (local anesthetic) and injects it directly into a trigger point. For me, this felt like a burning sensation, followed quickly by numbness. The point of the injection is that by poking the stressed trigger point, it goes from being a tight band to a looser muscle. The numbing medicine is mainly to reduce the injection discomfort (it’s meant to wear off within hours).

At the end of the procedure (it took about a half hour altogether), I told the doctor and nurse, “I feel like I just let out the world’s biggest sigh.” And it DID feel that way. Super relaxed and NUMB. Oh, beautiful, sweet numbness! I’ll take you any day over pain. Is this how you able-bodied people feel when you get a massage? Holy sheee-it! Felt like my first true, deep massage EVER. Goddamn! Nice!

Now, a few hours after the procedure, the numbing agent is wearing off, so I’m feeling the soreness of the various injections. BUT – this is still much more relaxing than it has been in…probably 3 months.

So today, I say, “Thank you, God. Thank you, thank you, thank you.. (yeah, I know I often hate you, but…gotta give credit where credit is due)”

I have no idea how long this will last, and I don’t even care. I’ve gotten my relief, temporary or not. I’m just soaking it in and feeling grateful. Now ‘scuse me while I go take a nap and rest this tired back.