Botulinum Toxin in the Head, Neck and Shoulder

One area where botulinum toxin therapy is well established is in a condition called torticollis. In this condition there is uncontrollable spasm of the muscles on one side of the neck causing the head to be permanently pulled to one side, with pain in the relevant muscle. Injection of toxin into this site has a 90% success rate and this is now the treatment of choice for this condition.

Torticollis is an uncommon condition. Much more common are chronic pains in and around the neck, shoulder and upper back. Usually no cause can be found for these pains. Although in some sufferers there may be Xray findings of cervical spondylosis, this is not necessarily the cause of the pain. A study from the USA (reported in the Daily Mail 16 March 2004) showed that botox injections were highly effective in treating these pains.

Other uses that have been described in the head and neck area are:

Persistent neck pain following whiplash injury, where significant pain relief is often obtained.
Some dental conditions such as temporomandibular joint problems and teeth grinding.
Painful and non painful spasms and tics of the facial muscles.
Excess salivation and drooling that occurs sometimes in Parkinson's disease, motor neurone disease and other neurological conditions, responds well to the injection of toxin directly into the salivary glands. This can however potentially result in long-term dry mouth.

M K Kocan. 03/07/2004.


	Botulinum Toxin in the Head, Neck and Shoulder One area where botulinum toxin therapy is well established is in a condition called torticollis. In this condition there is uncontrollable spasm of the muscles on one side of the neck causing the head to be permanently pulled to one side, with pain in the relevant muscle. Injection of toxin into this site has a 90% success rate and this is now the treatment of choice for this condition. Torticollis is an uncommon condition. Much more common are chronic pains in and around the neck, shoulder and upper back. Usually no cause can be found for these pains. Although in some sufferers there may be Xray findings of cervical spondylosis, this is not necessarily the cause of the pain. A study from the USA (reported in the Daily Mail 16 March 2004) showed that botox injections were highly effective in treating these pains. Other uses that have been described in the head and neck area are: Persistent neck pain following whiplash injury, where significant pain relief is often obtained. Some dental conditions such as temporomandibular joint problems and teeth grinding. Painful and non painful spasms and tics of the facial muscles. Excess salivation and drooling that occurs sometimes in Parkinson's disease, motor neurone disease and other neurological conditions, responds well to the injection of toxin directly into the salivary glands. This can however potentially result in long-term dry mouth. M K Kocan. 03/07/2004.
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