BOTOX. Even if you’ve never received the injections, you probably know someone who has. It’s well-known for its ability to minimize wrinkles and restore a youthful appearance. Although BOTOX is primarily known as a cosmetic treatment, it hasn’t always been that way. When it was discovered by two doctors in Vancouver, it was used as a treatment to help patients who suffered from muscle spasms. Since then, it’s evolved to treat a range of medical conditions. Read along to learn more about its uses beyond cosmetic improvements.
Chronic Migraines
If you’ve ever had a migraine, you know from experience how debilitating it can be. They’re severe headaches accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and noise. Migraines are severe headaches accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and noise. Chronic ones can last over four hours and occur at least every other day. Luckily, BOTOX is an excellent solution to consider. Receiving injections in your head and neck muscles every 12 weeks can reduce the occurrence of migraines and lessen their effects.
Overactive Bladder
An overactive bladder contracts unexpectedly and frequently, causing loss of bladder control, frequent urination, and the sudden need to urinate. Well, did you know that BOTOX can help the bladder contract more regularly and normalize urination? It’s true! A urologist will place the injections into the bladder using a cystoscope, an instrument inserted through the urethra.
Excessive Sweating
Excessive sweating (also known as hyperhidrosis) occurs when the nerves trigger the sweat glands to produce sweat unexpectedly. Some dermatologists and neurologists inject BOTOX into the muscles to prevent that from happening. The injections are placed in the muscles responsible for pumping sweat to the surface of the skin, lessening the amount of sweat produced.
Crooked Eyes
Crooked eyes (or strabismus) can occur when unbalanced muscles around the eye contract, pulling one eye in an abnormal direction. This results in crossed or misaligned eyes, causing an inability to focus, blurred vision, double vision, lack of depth perception, and eye soreness. Fortunately, BOTOX injections can relax the muscles that pull the eye sideways. In some cases, it can even fully realign the eyes! It’s worth noting that these injections are usually reserved for paralytic strabismus – not routine strabismus in children.
Off-Label Uses
Not sure what “off-label” means? It’s when the FDA has not approved the use of BOTOX to treat the condition. That includes voice disorders, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, teeth grinding, facial tics, headaches, and more. Even though its safety has not yet been fully proven, it’s still legal and fairly common for doctors and dentists to use BOTOX for these reasons! If you’re hesitant about it, you can always ask your dentist for more information or inquire about alternative treatment options.
As you can see, BOTOX has more versatility than people give it credit for. If you’d like to learn more about how you can benefit from the injections, schedule a consultation with your dentist in Portage. They’ll be more than happy to answer any questions you may have!
About the Practice
At Advanced Dental Concepts, we offer exceptional, state-of-the-art, individually tailored dental care that’s guaranteed to exceed even your highest expectations. From standard checkups to cosmetic dental treatment, we’ve got what you need to give you the smile you’ve always wanted. If you would like to learn more about how BOTOX can be used to treat medical conditions, visit our website or call (219) 763-6878.