Though it’s best known for smoothing wrinkles, Botulinum Toxin (BoTox, BTx) is derived from one of the most deadly toxins known to man. It has repeatedly stunned the medical community for its seemingly endless applications. BTx works by temporarily paralyzing muscles.
It is made from neurotoxins in soil, lakes, forests, the intestinal tracts of mammals and fish, the gills and organs of crabs, and other shellfish. BTx is generally considered safe if administered in small amounts by a licensed professional.
Along with its intended use, BTx could cause some unwanted side effects. These can include: mild pain and nausea, numbness, headache. temporary unwanted paralysis of nearby muscles, trouble swallowing, neck weakness, gallbladder dysfunction, double vision, bleeding, blurred vision, decreased eyesight, dry mouth, fatigue, hives, rashes, wheezing, and swelling.
These are some of the health conditions that BTx can help:
1.
Abnormal heartbeat: This could be used to
prevent abnormal heartbeat patterns after open-heart surgery (called
postoperative atrial fibrillation). use.
2.
Chronic migraines: In 1992, a Beverly
Hills plastic surgeon named Dr. William Binder observed that when he gave
people BTx for wrinkles, they reported fewer
headaches.
Today people who receive BTx for migraine prevention get thirty-one injections
in different spots on their head and neck, and the effects can last around
three months.
3.
Cleft lip scars in babies: Every year, about 2,650 babies are born with
a cleft palate and 4,440 are born with a cleft lip. Many undergo
surgery. Some doctors will inject the infants’ scars with BTx in order to hold
the muscles still, and allow it to heal. This can greatly improve the
appearance of the scars.
4.
Crossed-eyes: One of the first BTx approvals
was for a disorder that affects about four percent of Americans: strabismus, where the eyes do
not line up in the same direction.
5.
Depression: Though many experts are still skeptical, early
trials suggest BTx may alleviate symptoms in people with depression. This is
based on what’s called the facial feedback hypothesis, which holds that a
person’s facial expressions can influence their mood.
One
small 2014 study of seventy-four people with
major depressive disorder found that fifty-two percent of people who received BTx
reported a drop in symptoms six weeks later, compared with fifteen percent of
the people given a placebo.
6.
Excessive underarm sweating: When doctors noticed that their patients being
treated for facial spasms were sweating less, scientists began studying whether
BTx could be a successful therapy for people with a condition called severe
primary axillary hyperhidrosis. BTx was approved for the treatment in 2004.
Some people also use BTx to treat overly
sweaty hands and feet.
7.
Manage acne: Tiny amounts of BTx injected
very superficially help reduce oil production, reduce breakouts, and you can
still have facial expressions." The most effective and common area for
using BTx to curb oil production, is the forehead.
8.
Overactive bladder : Studies show that about seventy percent of
women treated with BTx reported about three leaks a day, compared with the
average of five leaks a day at the start of the study. Sometimes, BTx can shut
down the bladder too much, and people may need to use a catheter, she says.
9.
Severe neck spasms : Even before BTx was approved for frown lines between the
eyebrows in 2002, Approval for the drug in 2000 for its use in treating a
disorder called Cervical Dystonia. It is characterized by abnormal head
position and severe neck pain.
10.
Severely cold hands : At the Cold Hand
Clinic at the University of Chicago, doctors use BTx off-label to treat people with very cold
hands. BTx is injected into a person’s hand in order to relax muscles that
surround constricted blood vessels, the course of poor circulation.
When
the vessels relax and enlarge, blood flows through the hand and into the
fingertips, providing symptom relief. Doctors say the treatment can last up to
three months.
“Botox not only helps with wrinkles, it actually
makes you feel more relaxed as frowning causes tension.” (Patricia Cornwell)[i]
[i] Sources used:
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