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What is Botulinum Toxin Therapy?

Botulinum toxin is produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. The toxin, delivered by injection, interferes with the communication of nerves and muscles and slightly weakens the muscle. Therefore, botulinum toxin is most often administered in conditions that involve chronic activation of a muscle or a muscle group.
 
Different forms of botulinum toxin are available for medical use. They may not be the same potency and, therefore, not necessarily interchangeable. The form first discovered is Botox®.

Botulinum toxin therapy is extremely safe when given by a trained physician experienced in its use.

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Botulinum toxin therapy can be used in treatment of the following conditions:

Stiffness and Spasticity are prominent effects of stroke, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Stiff muscles limit the range of movement in the joints that they control. Chronic muscle stiffness precludes the brain from completely controlling movement. As the brain loses its ability to relax, chronically over- stimulated muscles become tight, causing pain and limiting motion. An injection of Botulinum toxin interferes with nerve- muscle communication, causing some muscles to lose their ability to contract. The treatment allows for enough muscles to relax to increase mobility and decrease pain without causing the muscle to significantly weaken.

Stiffness and Spasticity are prominent effects of stroke, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Stiff muscles limit the range of movement in the joints that they control. Chronic muscle stiffness precludes the brain from completely controlling movement. As the brain loses its ability to relax, chronically over- stimulated muscles become tight, causing pain and limiting motion. An injection of Botulinum toxin interferes with nerve- muscle communication, causing some muscles to lose their ability to contract. The treatment allows for enough muscles to relax to increase mobility and decrease pain without causing the muscle to significantly weaken.

Many patients who suffer headaches due to various causes also suffer from chronic compression of the muscles of the head. Relaxing these muscles with botulinum toxin has been shown to be very helpful in some patients.

Chronic contraction of muscles which result in involuntary turning of the head is sometimes amenable to Botulinum toxin therapy.

This condition is also caused by involuntary and chronic contraction of muscles. The affected muscles can be slightly weakened by botulinum toxin injection.

This condition is sometimes associated with ALS and Parkinson disease. Injection of botulinum toxin into the parotid and salivary glands can diminish the production and release of saliva.

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