As any Pain Doctor will tell you, the neurotoxin Botox, (which is injected into the body with a fine needle), can serve as an excellent therapeutic treatment for ameliorating pain. This is because the Botox intervenes in pain in two ways:
• Directly: by abolishing the contractile activity of the muscle [1];
• Indirectly: by preventing the release of certain chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) that transmit messages from one nerve cell across a space to the next nerve, muscle or gland cell.
These chemical messengers “are involved in the sensitisation and stimulation of muscle nociceptors [sensory receptors] – processes which lead to the inhibition/enhancement of ascending/descending signals (such as those which cause chronic pain)” [1].
Did You Know That?
By relaxing certain muscles via temporary paralysis, Botox can help to ameliorate muscular tension, and thus lower your pain levels. Generally speaking, pain is provoked by potentially harmful stimuli. This includes: mechanical, chemical, and heat exposure. However, as Pain Consultants regularly explain to their patients: whenever someone is suffering from a disease, the pain that they feel, is different from the normal type of pain.
Of note, in the majority of cases: there are two forms of sensory (nociceptive) pain. -These are identified based on their point of origin. For example:
• Pain which is emanating from the skin and deeper tissues (such as the muscles and joints), is classed as somatic pain; and
• Pain which is emanating from the internal organs is classed as visceral pain [1]
Of note: generally speaking, somatic pain is well localised, while visceral pain is more difficult to pinpoint [1]. – So to that end, it is essential to consult a Pain Specialist. Unlike a GP, Pain Doctors have gone over and above general practitioner training. Moreover, they usually have many years of specialist hospital and clinical experience and expertise in: pain management, pain medicine, and cutting-edge therapies and treatments.
Botox: the Perfect Non-Surgical Solution
Botox injections are in mega demand since they have been scientifically shown to effectively target and alleviate various sources of long-term pain. – This incredibly simple treatment has empowered countless individuals to put their pain to one side and regain control of their lives
Whenever a Pain Doctor gives a patient the low-down on state-of-the-art non-surgical solutions for chronic pain management, they are often surprised. – The is due to the fact that broadly speaking, these types of innovative treatments are not available on the NHS. And, when it comes to having Botox injections to ameliorate and relieve their pain, patients are delighted that the Pain Consultant can often administer them in less than 15 minutes during their lunch hour, or after work.
Should I be Concerned That Botox is a Neurotoxin?
The answer to this, is: “Absolutely not!” “The medicine in Botox injections is made from the same toxin that causes a type of food poisoning called botulism. But the forms of purified botulinum toxin used by licensed health care providers meet medical control standards” [2].
Relieving Different Types of Chronic With Botox
When a Pain Doctor puts a patient on a Holistic Personalised Treatment Program, the latter often incorporates a synergy of several different conventional and cutting-edge treatments and therapies. Botox is frequently recommended because of the very positive research which shows that Botox can help to block the unbearable pain which some patients have experienced prior to being helped by a Pain Specialist. Indeed, the administration of shots of Botox into certain areas or muscles which are impacted by long-term pain, can make a miraculous difference to the sufferer’s life. As previously mentioned, the Botox works by interrupting the pain signals that are being transmitted via the nerves. Moreover, such precise disruption of pain signals offers relief for people who suffer from a broad spectrum of conditions. These include:
• Chronic back pain
• Chronic neck pain
• Muscle spasms
• Arthritis
• Migraines
• Tension headaches,
• Myofascial pain syndrome, and
• Fibromyalgia [2]
Reducing muscle tension serves as one of the primary ways in which Botox can help patients manage their long-term pain. All too frequently, chronic pain can result in muscle tightness and /or spasms. And when this happens, the discomfort and misery of some sufferers, is even worse. Moreover, this can reach a point where it has a terrible impact on their daily lives, both at home and at work. So to that end, if you have been suffering from any of the aforementioned listed conditions for a long time and nothing has improved, book and online or in-person appointment with a Pain Consultant to see how Botox could help change your life around.
Did You Know That Botox Can Help Inflammation?
The power of Botox, which can also decrease inflammation, can empower patients’ pain relief, and thus rev up their overall quality of life
As Pain Specialists frequently tell their patients, research has indicated that Botox injections promote anti-inflammatory properties. Of note: inflammation is highly prevalent in many long-term pain conditions; and as such, it only adds to the sufferer’s ongoing discomfort and pain.
An Increasingly Popular Option
Once people who are suffering from certain pain conditions start having Botox injections: as soon as they witness promising results in that their pain dissipates, and they begin to get their life back to normal, their whole outlook changes. Many are relieved to know that Botox does not have the unwelcome side-effects linked to pharmaceuticals; and this is particularly the case with those who have been prescribed pain killers for a long period of time, which in some cases, could run into years.
More Details on the Botox For Pain, Procedure
When your Pain Doctor informs you that you are a suitable candidate for Botox injections, and that they are likely to be beneficial, they will then explain all the details about how Botox works, and what the recovery and follow-up procedures entail. For example, when it comes to the time of your procedure, the Pain Specialist will clean the treatment area and in some instances, apply a numbing cream.
Once you have received the Botox injection/s, you could feel a mild swelling or discomfort at the site of the injection/s, (although this is not the case for everyone). This is a perfectly normal reaction, and it should naturally subside within several days. Moreover, in the majority of cases, once the procedure has been carried out, you should be able to take up your regular activities as normal. Furthermore, your Pain Consultant will ensure that one of the team schedules a follow-up appointment for you. (This can usually be done online, so that you are not inconvenienced in any way). During this time, the Pain Doctor will ascertain your progress, and determine if you need any additional Botox injections. Note: it is a good idea to keep a dedicated diary so that you can record any changes that you have felt in relation to any pain you have experienced since having the procedure.
References
[1]. Kumar R. Therapeutic use of botulinum toxin in pain treatment. Neuronal Signal. 2018 Aug 31;2 (3).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7373233/
[2]. The Mayo Clinic (2023). “Botox Injections.”
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/botox/about/pac-20384658
