Botulinum toxin injection therapy (also known as "Botox therapy") is used to treat dystoniaa neuromuscular disorder that produces involuntary muscle contractions, or spasmthat affects muscles that control movement in the eyes, neck, face, voice box, or the smooth muscle in the bladder. The goal of the therapy is to reduce muscle spasm and pain.

Botulinum toxin is the natural protein that helps reduce and prevent muscular spasms. Muscle spasms are the result of chemical signals sent to the muscles from the nerves making the muscles contract. botulinum toxin is effective in preventing muscular spasms as it blocks these impulses, preventing contraction of specified muscles.

A toxin arising from bacteria found in soil, botulinum toxin (a neurotoxin, which by nature targets nerve endings) is one of the most poisonous substances in the world, particularly targeting the nerves that control muscles and blocking the chemical signals that initiate muscular contraction.

Botulinum toxin is a product of the same bacterium that causes food poisoning; a high dose of botulinum toxin is potentially fatal. Nevertheless, the dose administered in injections is too negligible to cause any harmful effects from the toxin.

The ability to contract muscles is essential, particularly the muscles of the digestive system, the diaphragm and the heart. If botulinum toxin happened to affect these muscles, they would fail to contract properly, or perhaps fail altogether. Illness of Botulism poisoning can result from eating tinned foods or under-smoked meats or fish that have been contaminated with the toxin or its spores.

With such toxic properties, its hard to believe that botulinum toxin is so helpful. Its benefits are three-fold: in treating excessive muscular contraction; in treating conditions of excessive glandular secretion, specifically sweating; in prevent muscles contracting for cosmetic reasons.

Conditions of muscle spasm are relatively common and can cause great discomfort, pain and distress. Relaxation of the contracting muscles in spasm can be achieved by mechanical, chemical or surgical means. botulinum toxin is a one of the more prominent of these treatments. However, prior to surgical or chemical interventions, physical treatment is often administered to see if the muscles are capable of stretching to a relaxed position.

Specifics of Treatment

botulinum toxin has been implemented safely in thousands of procedures over its ten years in mainstream medical usage. A serious consideration when treating muscle spasms of the face or eyelids, botulinum toxin injections can also be used to treat certain eye movement disorders, such as a lazy eye. botulinum toxin is a standard procedure for spasmodic torticollis cases, a muscular spasm that results in the head and neck 'pulling' in one direction. botulinum toxin can also be used in a variety of other procedures.

botulinum toxin is diluted with salt water and inserted directly into the muscle through an ultra-fine needle, and patients may receive five to ten injections.

One cause for concern is duration of the effects. Although the toxin permanently attaches to the nerve-ending, the nerve soon produces new channels to the muscle to eventually allow the muscle to contract again. The effects of botulinum toxin can begin from seven to fourteen days and last from six weeks to over a year, although typically, the treatment remains beneficial for three to four months. Repeated procedures are therefore commonplace. However, over exposure to botulinum toxin creates a risk of the body becoming accustomed to the botulinum toxin and generating antibodies to disable its function. Because of this, most physicians agree that spacing botulinum toxin treatments using as little as is effective produces the best results.

Another area of concern is the cost of the treatment. Due to the high potency of botulium toxin, pharmaceuticals must comply with high standards of safety, making for an extremely costly production process. Typically, a 100-unit supply of Botox, enough to treat one large muscle in the arm can cost a surgeon up to $500. The dosage required relates to the size of the muscle, with 400 units the recommended maximum dosage.

Risks

As with all medical procedure, there are certain risks associated with this type of procedure. Although minimal, the side effects can result in short lived pain and discomfort for the patient. Soreness can occur at the sites of injection, although this can be targeted with acetaminophen or ibuprofen. An ice pack on the sore area can also help numb any pain in the short run. Patients may also feel weakness in the particular muscles that have been injected or an overall muscular soreness although this, as well as other side effects is quick to disappear.

By nature, all medical procedures carry an element of risk. Before embarking on any medical procedure, it is advisable to consult fully with the Mclean Academy so that our qualified staff can suitably discuss any risk or concerns that your procedure may pose. Facial Muscle Spasm is a non surgical procedure with very minimal risks.