Botox Is Now Treating More Than Just Wrinkles

Botox has traditionally had a reputation as a cosmetic fix for wrinkles. It works because Botulinum Toxin paralyzes and relaxes facial muscles wherever it is injected. What is not traditionally known by many is Botox also has several medical applications. In case you didn’t know, Botox is now treating more than just wrinkles and crow’s feet.

Beyond Crow’s Feet

There is a whole world of medical uses for Botox beyond facial wrinkles. It is just less talked about. In fact, Botox was originally developed and tested for eyelid spasms when it was discovered that these injections helped to smooth facial wrinkles. Of course everyone jumped on that, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Ophthalmology, neurology, podiatry, and urology are just some of the medical fields that utilize Botox for medical issues. If muscles anywhere in the body are causing negative effects, Botox can usually help to alleviate the patient’s symptoms.

Chronic Migraine Headaches

Getting a  migraines at least 15 times per month is considered chronic.  After being used “off label” for many years, it was finally approved in 2010. Off label means that doctors injected it before it was officially approved by the FDA.

Those who suffer from chronic migraines also deal with vomiting, dizziness, nausea, intense sensitivity to light, and any kind of noise. Injections once every 2 or 3  months can control the frequency of the attacks.

Crossed Eyes

When someone has crossed eyes, which is medically known as strabismus, the eye muscles are not working together as they should. Thought of as a “lazy eye,” strabismus can be corrected with eye muscle surgery, but Botox injections are another alternative to consider. Sometimes the injections will correct enough of the issue by relaxing the eye muscles and patients may decide not to have surgery.

Eyelid Spasms

Blepharospasm, or eyelid spasms, is another medical disorder which can be improved with Botox. Someone with blepharospasm has uncontrolled movement of their eyelids. It can lead to drooping of the lower lid, and severe cases can result in the inability to keep the eyes open.

Spasmodic Dysphonia

This particular term means that someone has a shaky and strained voice. It is actually a neurological issue rather than a speech problem. Signals from the brain cause uncontrolled spasms that affect the voice.

Botox injections directly into the vocal cords weaken the muscles slightly, and allow the voice to become smoother and more controlled.

Bell’s Palsy

This is a condition that causes one side of the face to droop. It can occur during pregnancy, if someone has diabetes, or after getting a virus. This is normally a short term disorder, but Botox injections can relax the facial muscles to help foster a quicker recovery.

Drooling

Another disorder that many patients tend to find embarrassing is hypersalivation, which causes excess saliva. When Botox is injected into the salivary glands, it paralyzes the nerves and reduces the amount of saliva produced.