We all know botox for it’s anti-aging effects – celebrities sing its praises, friends of friends recommend their med spas – but botox isn’t just great for keeping wrinkles at bay. In fact, you may be surprised to learn that botox has been used for decades to treat a variety of medical conditions – from migraines to hyperhydrosis to overactive bladder. Read on to learn more about these surprising reasons to try botox.
What is Botox?
Botox is a safe, injectable version of the botulinum toxin. Once injected, Botox will cause a temporary effect on the muscle to keep it from moving. This effect will slowly wear off over time and the severity of the impact on muscle movement depends on the dosage (number of injections). So Botox injections tend to need to be “topped up” every so often to maintain the desired effects.
Migraines and Tension-Type Headaches
Migraines and certain types of headaches such as tension-type and cluster headaches can be incredibly different to treat with symptoms that can be debility. If you’re someone that hasn’t had luck with other common migraine and headache treatments and symptoms that negatively impact your quality of life, Botox may be the perfect treatment option for you.
Botox has been an FDA approved treatment for migraines and headaches since 2010 – one of the first medically approved uses for the injection. Find a reputable professional such as the ones at Aesthetic Lounge NYC and book a consultation to discuss if Botox would be a possible treatment option for your symptoms and type of headache.
Excessive Sweating
Hyperhidrosis is a condition that can cause mental anguish and embarrassment and significantly impact the person’s life. It involves excessive sweating, regardless of whether or not it’s hot or they’ve done an activity to induce sweating. This amount of sweating is enough to soak through clothing, often several layers and their sweating does not respond to typical antiperspirant.
Botox has been FDA approved for excessive underarm sweating but can, in some cases, also be used for those that find they experience excessive sweating of the hands, feet or face.
Improper Eye Alignment
Since the 1970s Botox has been used in the treatment of various eye-related disorders including lazy eye and improper eye alignment (strabismus) in both adults and children. Improper eye alignment, in particular, is a popular use for Botox as it involves the eyes looking in different directions such as one straight ahead while the other turns to one side.
This is particularly problematic as it impacts the individual’s vision and ability to focus on a set target. Precisely placed Botox injections can help correct eye alignment ensuring both eyes turn towards the thing the person is looking at thus improving vision and focus.
Overactive Bladder
For those with symptoms of overactive bladder due to a particular urological condition or even just age-related changes, Botox can be an effective way of managing that constant urge to pee and other annoying symptoms that go along with overactive bladder conditions.
In small doses, injections of Botox can help relax the bladder allowing it to hold more urine and for longer periods of time than is typically experienced by those with overactive bladder. This can help reduce trips to the bathroom, painful bladder symptoms and incontinence.
Are there risks to Botox?
Receiving Botox from a trained professional is a relatively safe procedure with minimal risks but as with all treatments, there can be some side-effects. These side-effects are often minimal and temporary but include:
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- Headache
- Pain, swelling or bruising at the injection site
- Dry eye or teariness
- Droopy eyelid or crooked smile
- Drooling
- Flu-like symptoms
In extreme cases, some may experience:
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- Vision problems
- Muscle weakness
- Trouble with swallowing or talking
- Loss of bladder control
In general, the risks can be minimized by seeking treatments from a reputable clinic and doctor and engaging in a proper consultation before initiating treatment. You shouldn’t undergo Botox if you are pregnant or breastfeeding and in general, it’s always beneficial to speak to your primary care physicians before attempting any sort of medical or cosmetic use of Botox.
Conclusion
In the end, while botox may not be the first treatment that comes to mind if you suffer from migraines, overactive bladder, improper eye alignment or excessive sweating, it may be worth a visit to your doctor to discuss this surprising treatment option. A reputable professional may be able to provide you with the symptom control and condition management that you need for better quality of life and functioning.
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