Botox injections for chronic pain

How does it work?
Various myofascial pain disorders may benefit from Botulinum toxin injections. These conditions include torticolis (severe neck muscle spasms), muscle tension headaches, chronic muscle spasms, and other spastic myofascial pain disorders such as those resulting from stroke and multiple sclerosis.

Botulinum toxin is a substance produced by the bacteria Clostridium Botulinum, the same bacteria that can cause botulism which can lead to death due to severe paralysis of muscles throughout the body. This may sound scary: however, the substance made for medical use is an inactive form of the toxin several thousand times less potent than the original toxin that causes botulism.

There are currently two medically approved uses of the botulinum toxin: Botox® and Myobloc®. Most people associate "botox" with the drug used for wrinkle treatment. Botulinum toxin is indeed effective for reducing wrinkles by causing temporary partial paralysis of the underlying injected muscles which thereby reduces muscle tone and smoothes out the wrinkles.

Both Botox® and Myobloc® effectively reduce painful muscle spasm. Gradual relaxation of muscle spasm develops over one to two weeks after the injection. The reduction of muscle spasm typically last for up to three months.

Potential but rare complications of Botulinum toxin injections (as with any invasive procedure) include: worsening of pain, nerve damage, allergic reaction, and infection. Temporary side effects from the drug may include flu like symptoms, increase in pain, weakness in the muscles injected, body aches, dry mouth, and hoarseness.