Coreflex Injections

Who will benefit from Coreflex injections?

Patients with deep pain in localised areas of muscles, or pain in the neck, shoulder, back, knee and other joint pain and patients with tension headache can get relief from Coreflex injections.

How are Coreflex injections performed?

Coreflex injections are a minimally invasive procedure. They can alleviate muscle pain caused by trigger points, which are painful “knots” in the muscle. They also target the painful injured areas. Depending on the mechanism of pain, the injection can be administered at the local point (painful areas) or referred points (related pain but further away).
The injectate used includes local anaesthetic, saline and/or corticosteroid, which are effective in stopping muscle spasms and inflammation and reducing pain, thus enabling patients to engage early in rehabilitation and therapy.

What to expect during the treatment?

A small needle is inserted into the patient’s tender trigger point to deliver the medication. With the injection, the tender active trigger point is made inactive, and the pain is alleviated. Often, a brief course of treatment will result in sustained relief.
Injections can be given in a doctor’s clinic at the bedside, and usually takes just a few minutes. Several sites may be injected in one visit. Occasionally, this simple procedure may be performed in the day-surgical centre under sedation, depending on the type of injectate as well as the patient’s tolerance to injection.

How safe are Coreflex injections?

Coreflex injections are very safe. The risk of complications from a Coreflex injection is very low. Complications such as bleeding and infection at the injection site are not common.

Are there any side effects?

Patients may experience temporary soreness or numbness at the injection site but it should resolve by itself after a few days.
Side effects from the injectate medications (though uncommon) include:

• Light- headedness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Ringing of ears
• Tingling of lips
• Palpitations
• Shortness of breath
• Seizures

At times, cortisone (a weak steroid) may be added to the injectate to enhance healing or recovery. These weak steroids are generally safe without complications. However, if given in high doses or repeatedly without monitoring, they can pose some possible side effects: tendon injury/rupture, high blood sugar, high blood pressure and osteoporosis.

Do the injections need to be repeated?

Usually, a trigger point resolves after one injection and the injections do not need to be given repeatedly. This may happen when a patient has an uncomplicated and isolated trigger point, and especially if the cause of the trigger point has been removed (such as a trigger point caused by repetitive minor trauma or movement that will no longer be performed).
Only if the underlying cause is due to a chronic condition or ongoing degeneration, these injections may be repeated at regular intervals every 1 – 2 yearly.