Neck and shoulder stiffness near Gagyeong-dong, treating myofascial pain syndrome with trigger point injection (TPI) in Cheongju at an anesthesiology and pain medicine clinic
Author: Kim Young-moo, Chief Director (Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine Specialist, Pain Management Expert) This content was created in compliance with the Medical Law and related regulations.
If you frequently experience stiffness in your neck or shoulder and find that symptoms return within a few days despite using heat therapy or pain patches, your condition may be more than simple muscle fatigue. When stiffness repeatedly occurs like this, the formal diagnosis is Myofascial Pain Syndrome, and trigger point injection (TPI) is a core treatment method performed by anesthesiology and pain medicine specialists. A systematic review in the Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association (2024) reported that TPI is effective in reducing short to medium-term pain and improving range of motion in myofascial pain syndrome. However, treatment plans may vary depending on the degree of symptom chronicity and indications, so professional diagnosis must be conducted first.
Neck and shoulder stiffness may actually be 'myofascial pain syndrome'
If you commonly use expressions like "I've got a stiff neck" or "my muscles are tight," you are already experiencing typical symptoms of myofascial pain syndrome. The official FAQ of the Korean Society of Anesthesiologists also guides that such everyday expressions are typical descriptions of myofascial pain syndrome.
Myofascial pain syndrome is caused by trigger points formed within taut bands of skeletal muscle. When pressure is applied to these trigger points, referred pain that spreads beyond the area being pressed is characteristic. You might experience headaches when your shoulders feel tight, or a tingling sensation in your arm when your neck becomes stiff—these can be examples of referred pain. According to related clinical data, trigger points are located within taut bands in skeletal muscle and are known to cause characteristic referred pain when pressure is applied.
According to Severance Rehabilitation Hospital's disease information, myofascial pain syndrome is a representative condition that develops into chronic pain when nerves become sensitized due to poor posture or repetitive muscle use. The same source explains that TPI's basic principle is to calm the nerves through needle stimulation or local anesthetic injection into the tense trigger points.
If any of the following situations apply to you, you may be a candidate for TPI:
▪ Your neck and shoulders frequently become tight, and you feel tender pressure points when pressing ▪ Your shoulders become tight while accompanied by headaches or arm tingling ▪ Symptoms recur within a few days despite general medications or heat therapy
In these cases, it's good to have a professional diagnosis rather than assuming it's simple muscle pain.
How Asanwell pain clinic performs TPI
Chief Director Kim Young-moo, an anesthesiology and pain medicine specialist with subspecialization from Seoul Asan Hospital, a certified pain management physician of the Korean Pain Society, and training completion in TPI continuing education and ultrasound workshops, personally performs ultrasound-guided trigger point injection.
You might wonder why ultrasound guidance is important. According to a cadaver study in the Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association (2025), the accuracy of ultrasound-guided injection is 93.3%, while non-guided injection only achieves 40%. Materials from the Korean Internal Medicine Society also report that ultrasound guidance reduces procedure-related pain by approximately 43% and increases treatment response rate by approximately 26%.
The actual treatment flow is as follows:
▪ Stage 1 — Diagnosis: Direct palpation of the neck and shoulder area, and confirmation of muscle condition and trigger point location via ultrasound ▪ Stage 2 — Planning: Treatment scope is determined considering referred pain patterns, duration of symptoms, and postural habits ▪ Stage 3 — Procedure: Injection is performed at the precise location while viewing real-time ultrasound images—minimizing unnecessary damage to surrounding tissues ▪ Stage 4 — Post-procedure guidance: Instruction in posture correction and stretching and other lifestyle habit modifications following the procedure
Injection at the exact location is necessary to effectively resolve trigger points and reduce recurrence. In this regard, ultrasound-guided methods make a meaningful difference in both precision and safety of treatment.
Caution is necessary for these individuals
TPI is a non-surgical treatment and relatively safe, but those fitting the following criteria must consult thoroughly with a specialist before the procedure:
▪ Those with bleeding disorders or taking anticoagulants (blood thinners) ▪ Those with infection or inflammation on the skin at the injection site ▪ Those who are pregnant or may be pregnant ▪ Those with a history of allergic reactions to local anesthetics or injection components ▪ Those whose blood pressure or blood sugar is uncontrolled
Also, while TPI is a treatment that directly resolves trigger points, as noted in the Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association (2024), trigger points can reform even after the procedure. If poor posture or repetitive movements are not corrected, new tightness can develop in the same area. Severance Rehabilitation Hospital's disease information also recommends combining complex treatments including stretching, posture correction, and strengthening exercises for long-term symptom improvement. In other words, TPI alone may have limitations in chronically developed cases, and the effect is more sustained when combined with physical therapy and lifestyle habit modification.
Notice for residents near Cheongju Heungdeok-gu and Seowon-gu In addition to those residing in Cheongju's western living area such as Gagyeong-dong, Bokdae-dong, Gaeshin-dong, and Sannam-dong, those concerned with shoulder pain in Cheongju Heungdeok-gu, Seowon-gu, Gaeshin-dong, and Sannam-dong can also visit Asanwell pain clinic. Many people from nearby areas are also visiting for Cheongju Bokdae-dong TPI, Cheongju Sannam-dong myofascial pain, and other nearby areas.
If you're curious about the right approach for you, confirm through consultation
At Asanwell pain clinic, you can receive precise ultrasound-guided TPI treatment from a specialist with subspecialization from Seoul Asan Hospital, so if you're curious about the right approach for you, please check through consultation.
If neck and shoulder stiffness repeats in Cheongju's western living area like Gagyeong-dong, Bokdae-dong, and Gaeshin-dong, it is important to first check whether it might be myofascial pain syndrome rather than simple muscle fatigue. If you experience a pattern where symptoms recur after enduring for a few days with heat therapy or patches, then a process to accurately identify the underlying cause—the trigger point—is necessary.
Anesthesiology and pain medicine specialist's ultrasound-guided TPI is not simply "getting an injection in the painful area" but rather a treatment that accurately resolves trigger points while confirming their location on imaging. Since symptoms can be evaluated in their complete pattern along with lifestyle habits and treatment direction can be established accordingly, please feel free to inquire about a consultation first.
Frequently asked questions
Q1. Does TPI work after just one injection, or do I need multiple injections?
It depends on symptom progression and the number of trigger points. According to Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association (2024) data, while TPI is effective for short to medium-term pain reduction, additional procedures may be necessary if trigger points reform. Some patients experience significant improvement after just one treatment, but in chronically developed cases, it is typical to perform treatment over several sessions while combining posture correction and stretching. The exact number of sessions should be determined with the specialist after diagnosis.
Q2. How do you distinguish between stiffness and cervical disc herniation?
Both can involve neck and shoulder pain accompanied by arm tingling, making it difficult to distinguish in daily life. Myofascial pain syndrome typically shows referred pain when specific tender points are pressed, and symptoms vary significantly with posture. Cervical disc herniation, on the other hand, often presents with distinct tingling or sensory abnormalities extending to the arms and fingers with specific neck movements. However, since both conditions can exist simultaneously, accurate differentiation is recommended through specialist examination and imaging tests if necessary.
Q3. How is TPI with ultrasound guidance different from general injection?
Without ultrasound guidance, relying only on palpation to perform injection may fail to locate the trigger point precisely or cause unnecessary stimulation to surrounding tissue. According to a cadaver study in the Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association (2025), the accuracy of ultrasound-guided injection is 93.3%, significantly higher than non-guided methods (40%). As injection at the precise location improves treatment effectiveness and tends to lower recurrence rates, Asanwell pain clinic performs TPI using ultrasound guidance.
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