People have been using Botox for years to achieve the youthful, vibrant appearance they deserve. However, the health benefits of Botox make it much more than a cosmetic procedure. This powerful injection also has the ability to provide much-needed medical benefits, as well. We’ve put together five ways Botox can benefit your health so you can feel confident and fully informed if you’ve been considering treatment.
Five ways Botox can benefit your health include reducing the symptoms of:
- Chronic migraines
- Eyelid spasms
- Hyperhidrosis
- Crossed eyes
- Cervical dystonia
1. Chronic Migraine
A migraine is no ordinary headache. They can cause severe pain that feels like a throbbing or pulsing in your head. This pain is usually focused on one side of your head and may also include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Sensitivity to light
- Sensitivity to sound
Migraine symptoms can last for hours or even days, severely limiting your daily life. They are often foreshadowed by an aura or other visual disturbances that affect your vision.
Botox has been an FDA-approved form of migraine treatment for adults since 2010. It has been shown to reduce the span of time patients experience them as well as other types of headaches. Patients also experienced more pain-free days and fewer days off of work due to their symptoms.
Botox treatment for migraines requires injections once every 12 weeks to dull or prevent them from recurring. Multiple shots may be required on both sides of your head, possibly with more in the area you feel the most pain. Most patients experience results within two to three weeks after their first treatment.
2. Eyelid Spasms
Eyelid spasms can occur in one or both eyes, causing your eyelids to involuntarily twitch or close suddenly. While eyelid twitches are more common, they don’t usually require medical treatment and go away on their own. Eyelid spasms, on the other hand, can last for hours or even days.
Botox has been found to be the best treatment for eye spasms. As with wrinkles, it works by relaxing the malfunctioning muscles above and below your eye to reduce spasms. Most patients report spasms disappearing anywhere from a day to two weeks after their treatment and lasting for around three months.
3. Hyperhidrosis
Excessive sweating, even when it’s not that hot or you haven’t been physically active, is known as hyperhidrosis. This condition can cause sweat to soak through your clothes or even drip from your hands. Not only can hyperhidrosis interrupt your daily activities, but it can cause you to feel embarrassed and experience social anxiety as well.
Botox injections can help reduce the effects of hyperhidrosis by blocking the release of a neurotransmitter known as acetylcholine. This serves to bind your sweat glands, preventing them from signaling that sweat needs to be released. Botox is only effective where it is injected and the intervals of injections can vary depending on where they are needed.
4. Crossed Eyes 
Medically known as strabismus, crossed eyes occur when the eyes are misaligned resulting in one looking outward (exotropia) or inward (esotropia) while the other holds its position. This is a common issue for newborns but they usually grow out of it. Unfortunately, this problem can continue for some children, leading to lazy eye (amblyopia) and vision problems.
It may come as a surprise to learn that not only is Botox a fantastic treatment for crossed eyes but that it was its original purpose. While it may be the most popular form of cosmetic surgery in the United States, its use in treating patients with crossed or lazy eyes shows how truly versatile it is. Injections are required every three to four months to remain effective.
To learn the basics of Botox, click here!
5. Cervical Dystonia
Cervical dystonia is a condition that causes the muscles in your neck to contract involuntarily into abnormal positions. While rare, this condition can cause you to twist your head and neck repetitively on a sporadic or constant basis. These painful spasms force sufferers to twist their heads sideways toward their shoulder, a movement known as torticollis.
Click here to learn the surprising reason why receiving Botox treatments from your dentist is the smart choice!
Other common head movements include:
- Tilting the head sideways with the ear to the shoulder (laterocollis)
- Tilting the head backward with the chin upward (retrocollis)
- Tipping the head forward with the chin down (anterocollis)
Botox is one of the primary forms of treatment for pain due to cervical dystonia. This often comes in the form of injections directly into the neck muscles every 11 to 12 weeks. With Botox, the nerves are immobilized, and has been reported to relieve pain and other symptoms in 75% of patients.
Are you in need of medical Botox treatment in Knoxville, TN? Contact us today to schedule your appointment!
There are many ways Botox can benefit your health. It can reduce cervical dystonia, allowing for your head and neck to stay in a comfortable position. Botox can also help with crossed eyes, which it was originally developed to do. If you sweat more than normal, Botox injections can help bind sweat glands so you stay comfortable and confident. Injections of Botox have also helped migraine sufferers live less pain-filled lives. Uncontrollable eye spasms can also be reduced thanks to Botox.
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