Botox Treatment for Muscles

In the 1970s, Botox was studied and used for crossed eyes and eye twitching due to its ability to relax the muscle surrounding the eyes. Since then, in 2002 it received approval from the Food and Drug Administration and has been used cosmetically by injecting it directly into the facial muscles to temporarily treat and reduce moderate to severe lines and wrinkles cause by stubborn muscles. Following it's release into the mainstream market, doctors have found benefits of using Botox for medicinal treatment of muscle disorders.

Muscle Disorders that are Treatable with Botox

• Individuals that have suffered from and have been diagnosed with severe or chronic muscle spasms might be eligible candidates to receive Botox injections as treatment. Botox injections are highly successful in relieving pain and discomfort in muscle spasms by blocking the neural impulses to the muscles, resulting in relaxed muscles and enabling them to return to their normal movement range. The most common places that receive effective treatment are those where neck, cervical, eye and facial spasms occur.

Considerations and Assessment of Using Botox to Treat Muscles

• Although the effect of receiving Botox treatment for muscles is highly beneficial and less expensive and invasive than therapy and surgery, its benefits are temporary. Periodic treatments are necessary in order to maintain the results. In cases where it was used to treat facial and eye muscle spasms, facial weakness, drooping eyelids and double vision have been reported. Most insurance companies will cover the use of Botox for muscle disorders, however almost half of the patients that seek the treatment do not receive any assistance from their insurer.