Botox: much more than a wrinkle cure; Dear Miriam.Byline: MIRIAM STOPPARD Botox is best known for smoothing wrinkles on celebrity faces - but it's far more than just a cosmetic treatment. I'm interested in the growing list of ailments that Botox can help treat, from excess sweating and headaches to strokes and cerebral palsy cerebral palsy (sərē`brəl pôl`zē), disability caused by brain damage before or during birth or in the first years, resulting in a loss of voluntary muscular control and coordination. . Just this month, a study suggested that Botox injections into the scalp can treat hair loss and another report found that jabs into the bladder can hugely improve the quality of life for women with incontinence. All in all, that's a pretty amazing achievement for a substance derived - in a highly diluted form - from one of the most deadly poisons on earth. Why it's so useful... Since it was approved for human use in 1989, millions of people have received Botox - or botulinum toxin Botulinum toxin (botulin) A neurotoxin made by Clostridium botulinum; causes paralysis in high doses, but is used medically in small, localized doses to treat disorders associated with involuntary muscle contraction and spasms, in addition to strabismus. as it's properly known - in the form of injections. These wrinklebusting jabs work by partially freezing certain facial muscles to smooth out lines. And it's this unique ability to isolate and slacken certain muscles that makes is needed. Botox so useful in treating a variety of medical conditions. The fact that Botox is a temporary treatment - lasting four to six months - also means it's a useful alternative to surgery as the effects are reversible if the wrong muscle is treated. Here are some of the amazing ways Botox has been found to benefit our health... PARKINSON'S Botox can help control some symptoms of diseases such as Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy. Often patients suffering from these conditions shake uncontrollably, or experience muscle spasms that restrict their movement. Injections have even been found to help some children with cerebral palsy to walk. HOW IT WORKS: Botox is injected straight into the muscle, relieving the spasms to prevent tremors or allow movement. BACK PAIN Research shows a Botox jab could offer relief for around half of all patients with lower-back problems. Some private hospitals and back pain clinics now offer this treatment in the UK. HOW IT WORKS: Painful muscle spasms are the cause of many cases of back pain, which means Botox can target the muscle responsible. INCONTINENCE Doctors at Guy's Hospital in London have found that an injection of Botox directly into the bladder wall can improve symptoms of bladder weakness in the over-50s. A single jab can reduce incontinence for up to 24 weeks. Those taking part in the trial claimed they slept better and had more energy. HOW IT WORKS: An injection into the bladder, using a long tube passed up the urethra urethra (y  rē`thrə), canal in most mammals that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body; in the male it also serves as a genital duct. , blocks the contraction of the detrusor muscle Detrusor muscleBladder muscle. Mentioned in: Urine Flow Test responsible for controlling urine flow, which stops the uncontrollable need to pee. EXCESS SWEATING Botox is used to treat excessive sweating which causes permanently clammy clam·my adj. clam·mi·er, clam·mi·est 1. Disagreeably moist, sticky, and cold to the touch: a clammy handshake. 2. Damp and unpleasant: clammy weather. hands and underarm un·der·arm adj. Located, placed, or used under the arm. n. The armpit. sweat that soaks through clothing. HOW IT WORKS: Sweat is prevented from forming by freezing nerves that control the sweat glands. Jabs are given every few months. PROSTATE PROBLEMS Use of Botox to treat non-cancerous prostate problems caused by an enlarged prostate Enlarged Prostate Definition A non-cancerous condition that affects many men past 50 years of age, enlarged prostate makes urinating more difficult by narrowing the urethra, a tube running from the bladder through the prostate gland. gland is being explored. Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh found just one Botox jab into the prostate eased symptoms and improved quality of life for three out of four men. HOW IT WORKS: When injected directly into the prostate, Botox seems to shrink the prostate gland, relieving excess pressure on the urethra and reducing the urge to pee as often. DIABETES A study found Botox can ease chronic foot pain sometimes caused by diabetes, which occurs as a result of damage to nerves, especially in the lower legs and feet, and often doesn't respond to standard painkillers. HOW IT WORKS: Injecting Botox into the skin at the top of the feet seems to freeze painful muscles and improve mobility. OVEREATING overeating eating too much food too quickly; leads to acute gastric dilatation in dogs and horses, acute carbohydrate engorgement in ruminants, dietetic (dietary) diarrhea in young calves and foals, abomasal tympany in bottle fed lambs and calves. A small study at the University of Milan The university is a member of the League of European Research Universities. Throughout Milan, the University is normally known as Statale to avoid confusion with other academic institutions in the city. indicated stomach injections of Botox could reduce body weight by helping to control hunger. HOW IT WORKS: Injections are used to partially freeze the muscles that move food through the stomach, making patients feel fuller for longer so they're less likely to overeat o·ver·eat v. To eat to excess, especially habitually. . FACIAL SCARS Scientists at the University of Buffalo in the US found Botox injections can help facial wounds heal with less scarring. HOW IT WORKS: Scars often become bigger as surrounding muscles pull the wound apart during the healing process. Botox temporarily weakens these muscles, reducing the pull on the wound and allowing it to heal better. VOICE TREMORS Studies show some promise in treating older people who suffer from embarrassing voice tremors that cause wobbly-sounding speech. However, side effects included breathiness and difficulty in swallowing, so more research is needed. HOW IT WORKS: Injections of Botox into the vocal chords prevent the spasms that cause the speech tremor. TENSION HEADACHES Studies have found that Botox injections into the head, neck and jaw muscles can alleviate pain from these debilitating headaches. Some Botox clinics and pain centres in the UK now offer this treatment. Scientists are also trying to use the jabs to pinpoint exactly which muscles trigger recurring tension headaches, before potentially removing them with surgery. HOW IT WORKS: Tension headaches are triggered by muscle spasms which Botox's properties can help relax. HAIR LOSS Botox has shown some - albeit very early - promise as a possible treatment for hair loss. US plastic surgeon, Dr Simon Ourian, claims that that injecting Botox into his patients'' bald patches has helped their hair grow back. HOW IT WORKS: Hair loss is caused by the hair follicles shrinking. The theory is that Botox could help relax and dilate dilate /di·late/ (di´lat) to stretch an opening or hollow structure beyond its normal dimensions. di·late v. To make or become wider or larger. the blood vessels, allowing nutrients into the shrunk follicles and stimulating new growth. More research is needed STROKE Having a stroke can damage the part of the brain that controls your muscles, leaving people with painful and debilitating muscle contractions and paralysis. The UK Stroke Association is funding research to see if Botox could aid the recovery of stroke sufferers. HOW IT WORKS: As Botox can freeze muscles and ease spasms, it could reduce muscle pain and increase movement. |
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