Levator Scapulae Injection
What is levator scapulae and why do I need a levator scapulae injection?
The levator scapulae muscle is located in the neck that can often become irritated and inflamed, resulting in spasm of the muscle and neck pain. A person with levator scapulae spasm may complain of pain at the angle of the neck as well as a painful “stiff neck”. A person will be unable to turn the head fully to the same side because of pain on contraction, and not completely to the other side either because of painful increase in muscle tension.
Injection of local anaesthetic into the levator scapulae muscle will reduce the pain and relaxes the muscle.
How is it performed?
Levator scapulae injection is performed under ultrasound guidance. Painful areas in the muscle called trigger points are identified, a fine needle is identified into those trigger points and medication usually combination of local anaesthetic and steroid are injected. These trigger point injections should be followed by daily muscle stretching exercises to get a long-term benefit. Please read our FAQ section to know more about the do's and don'ts prior to and after the procedure.