How BOTOX Helps People Beyond Cosmetics

BOTOX has a reputation of only helping people enhance themselves cosmetically. While it is true that BOTOX can improve a person's looks, BOTOX also has other medical uses. As a trained dentist, our team uses BOTOX to help our patients dealing with severe pain. One of the most satisfying feelings a dentist feels is when their patients no longer feel pain caused by a number of different reasons.

Let's explore two medical reasons why we may use BOTOX treatment for our patients:

1. BOTOX Helps Relieve Migraines

Chronic migraines can be debilitating.The first benefit of BOTOX is that it helps relieve migraines.

The International Headache Society defines a chronic migraine as a "headache occurring on 15 or more days/month for more than 3 months, which, on at least 8 days/month, has the features of migraine headache."These headaches can be severe. Ouch.

BOTOX is considered a preventative medication. Not only can BOTOX prevent on average 8 to 9 headache days and migraine/probable migraine days a month, versus six to seven for placebo, but it’s also the #1 prescribed branded chronic migraine treatment. Since the FDA approved BOTOX for migraines, more than 500,000 people with chronic migraine have received over 2 million BOTOX treatments, so one can assume that’s a lot more productivity returned to society, especially since one treatment generally takes only 15 minutes every three months. One of the major benefits is that there is no down time! After you receive treatment, you can go about your daily life.

2. BOTOX Alleviates Pain Caused by TMJ

The second benefit of BOTOX is that it can alleviate pain caused by TMJ disorder. Anyone who has been diagnosed with TMD (temporomandibular joint dysfunction) or TMJ (temporomandibular joint) understands the lifetime of discomfort and sometimes downright pain that these diagnosis can bring. BOTOX is now commonly used to help relieve the symptoms.

People with TMJ generally experience grinding of the teeth which causes headaches, uncomfortable jaw tension and sometimes lockjaw. Others find themselves unable to sleep due to the discomfort, so not only are they groggy during the day, but they also have chronic facial pain.

But BOTOX can help. It’s a non-surgical procedure that takes typically only 15 minutes, but the appointment can last up to 30 minutes. First, your doctor or dentist must inject BOTOX in the jaw muscles, as well as the forehead and temple. From time to time, depending on the patient and his or her symptoms, it may be necessary to make an injection elsewhere. Most patients experience what feels like a pin prick which can be alleviated with numbing cream or a cold compress. After the session, the patient can simply walk out of the office and continue the day. Relief doesn’t necessarily happen immediately, but usually within a few days patients can tell a difference. Generally more than one treatment is necessary over the course of a few months.

My patients have been overjoyed that their pain or discomfort from years of suffering TMJ has been alleviated.