Botox - The Lesser Known Uses

Botox is such a buzz word of the times that it is almost synonymous with Hollywood, but the purpose of the drug injections is actually a muscle relaxing agent that has been used and is currently being used in patients who have cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis. In addition it has several other uses that stray from the usual Hollywood connotation, some are even beginning to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

When injected properly, Botox, or botulinum A, alleviates muscle spasms and stiffness, and children especially are quite responsive to the treatment. The substance which is made from the bacteria that causes food poisoning begins its effect by blocking transmission between affected muscles and the nerves, and although it cannot be used in large doses, the use of the drug for these patients is a rather effective approach.

Cerebral palsy is an abnormality in the motor system that inhibits the communication between the brain and the rest of the body. It is a non-progressive disease often present at birth or even before, and since the use of the drug is not in competition with the progression of the disease, it is an often used treatment for the condition.

The drug is used similarly in an attempt to relieve spasticity that is associated with multiple sclerosis. This disease is characterized similarly to the aforementioned CP, but MS, which is a disease of the central nervous system, is progressive. Botox treatments are used in this case to provide temporary relief of muscle tightness, spasms, pain, and degenerative episodes that affiliated with MS.

There are some other convenient uses for the drug including excessive underarm sweating. In this case, the drug paralyzes the over productive glands that are causing the embarrassing sweat; most all treatments for any condition are effective for one to three months, and with some less pressing situations, less of the drug is needed the longer a patient receives treatments, and the symptoms that are being treated can decrease with continued use. The drug has recently been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of migraine headaches which a person is diagnosed as having if the condition is present for fifteen out of thirty days.

This is not a cure for the any of the discussed conditions; it is merely a relief treatment, and for these diseases that as of yet have no cure, dependable relief of pain and affiliated symptoms is a giant leap for the patients and for the medical community.