Botox

Overview of BOTOX

Botulinum toxin injection therapy (also known as "BOTOX therapy" or onabotulinumtoxinA) is used to treat dystonia - neuromuscular disorder that produces involuntary muscle contractions, or spasm - that affects muscles that control movement in the eyes, neck, face, limbs, voice box, or the smooth muscle in the bladder. The goal of the therapy is to reduce muscle spasm and pain.

In October 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved BOTOX injections to treat chronic migraines in adults who experience headaches on 14 or more days each month. This treatment involves multiple injections in the head and neck, administered every 12 weeks.

Injections of BOTOX

Indication specific dosage and administration recommendations should be followed. In treating adult patients for one or more indications with BOTOX and BOTOX Cosmetic, the maximum cumulative dose should generally not exceed 360 Units, in a 3 month interval.

The safe and effective use of BOTOX Cosmetic depends upon proper storage of the product, selection of the correct dose, and proper reconstitution and administration techniques.Physician's administering BOTOX Cosmetic must understand the relevant neuromuscular and structural anatomy of the area involved and any alterations to the anatomy due to prior surgical procedures and disease, especially when injecting near the lungs.

Indications for BOTOX use:

• blepharospasm–forceful involuntary closure of the eyelids
• strabismus–misalignment of the eyes
• hemifacial spasm–sudden contraction of the muscles on one side of the face
• spasmodic torticollis, or cervical dystonia–muscle spasm in the neck that causes the head to turn to one side, and sometimes forward or backward
• oromandibular dystonia–continuous spasms of the face, jaw, neck, tongue, larynx, and in severe cases, the respiratory system
• urinary retention–severe inability to urinate that requires catheterization
• spasmodic dysphonia–spasm of the vocal cords that causes sudden disruption of speech
• stuttering–repetitions of parts of words and whole words, long pauses, elongated sounds
• voice tremor–quavering vocalization
• limb spasticity (e.g., following stroke)