Dr. Gary Motykie, a board certified Plastic Surgeon in Beverly Hills, California, addressed this topic on the Marie Show!
For many people, Botox is synonymous with the best non-surgical anti-aging treatment in the world. Both men and women, including many celebrities, have enjoyed the cosmetic benefits of Botox for several years. However, not much is known commonly about the medical benefits of Botox. Botox has received approvals from FDA to treat several medical conditions, and in fact, Botox was originally created to address medical conditions, while cosmetic benefits followed later.
Botox Insights
Scientists discovered botulinum toxin, the chemical that is used to produce Botox, more than a century ago. For several decades, researchers continued to test the usability and effectiveness of Botox to treat various medical conditions. When Botox was used in 1980 to treat eye conditions such as crossed eye and involuntary blinking, doctors observed that the treatment also resulted in fading away of fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes. That is when the cosmetic benefits of Botox were identified, and the FDA approval for such benefits finally came in 2002.
Botox has recently received another FDA approval to treat crow’s feet beneath the eyes. Botox works on the principle of blocking neuromuscular communication in the targeted overactive muscle, and allowing it to relax. The chemical used in Botox is one of the most powerful and lethal substances. It is used on humans in extremely diluted form to achieve safe results. Doctors recommend that Botox should be used only by an experienced Botox provider or a qualified cosmetic surgeon. Each year more than 4.7 million procedures involving Botox are performed in the United States.
Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a serious disease involving muscular dysfunction. Muscles usually tend to malfunction either by way of paralysis, which means they stop responding, or by way of cramping or spasticity, which means they become hyperactive. In MS, a disruption of communication between the muscle and nerve occurs, which leads to spasticity.
Muscles in the affected area of the body begin to cramp up because the communication between muscles and nerves has been severed. Botox based treatment for MS involves identifying the troubled muscles using tiny electrodes and then directly injecting Botox medication into those muscles.
Treatment for Loss of Bladder Control
The urinary bladder is a single, large muscle which squeezes and releases just like a water-filled balloon to allow the passage of urine at will. Bladder control occurs due to coordination between the brain and the bladder muscle. It allows for holding of urine in the bladder until the bladder is reasonably full. If a person’s bladder muscle becomes spastic, the bladder control will become weak and urine may leak involuntarily.
Treatment for loss of bladder control is available in surgery as well as oral medicine. However, side effects with oral drugs and a highly invasive bladder surgery may not be fantastic and salient options for many patients. Botox can help in such cases by providing a simpler and safer treatment. Botox allows the bladder muscle to calm down, allowing for more normalized urinary function.
Treatment for Other Conditions
The FDA has approved Botox for the treatment for various medical conditions such as jaw pain, chronic migraine and excessive perspiration. The advantage with Botox over other treatments is that just one-time treatment can have an effect lasting for about four to six months, and a single treatment session will usually last for just a few minutes. The cost of a typical Botox treatment will range between $200 and $250 for a single treatment area.
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