Botox for Spasticity Treatment

Botox as a muscle spasticity treatment is becoming more popular in the medical community. According to Botox Facts, it is used to decrease muscle spasticity in those persons whose muscles no longer relax when the central nervous system tells them to. It can help to relax muscles that remain contracted, in turn alleviating pain, stiffness and difficulty moving. Botox is most commonly used as a muscle spasticity treatment in patients who have had a stroke and those with neurological and musculoskeletal disorders that cause muscle spasticity.

Benefits

• According to Botox Facts, Botox for muscle spasticity helps relax spastic muscles, so patients can better function and complete daily tasks. By decreasing muscle spasticity, patients are better able to dress themselves, complete basic household chores and keep up with their personal hygiene. Botox can also help to alleviate the pain associated with tight, spastic muscles that can often get severe.

Side Effects

• Patients being treated with Botox for spasticity may experience side effects. According to Botox Facts, the side effects will vary from individual to individual and will depend on the patient, the location of the injection site, physician expertise, injection frequency and the dose. The side effects slightly differ between injection sites, but some side effects can occur regardless of the injection site. These include injection site tenderness, pain and bruising. Other possible side effects include double vision (injected near eyes), drooping eyelids (injected near eyes), headache, trouble swallowing (injected in neck) and upper respiratory infection (injected in neck).

Function

• According to Medicine Net, Botox works by blocking the signals that the nerves send to the muscles. When these signals are not sent, the muscle will no longer contract. The muscles will be temporarily weakened as well.

Procedure

• Injecting Botox for muscle spasticity is a relatively quick procedure. According to Medicine Net, injecting Botox only takes a few minutes and anesthesia it not required. To inject the Botox, a doctor will use a small, fine needle and inject it directly into the spastic muscle. Patients should refrain from taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and aspirin two weeks prior to an injection to minimize potential bruising.

Potential

• According to Medicine Net, most patients experience the full effect in three to seven days. For most patients, the effects will last four to six months. When patients begin experiencing muscle spasticity, the procedure can be repeated. Patients can receive Botox for muscle spasticity throughout their lives.