We all know that Botox and all of the other botulinum toxin brands such as Vistable, Dysport, Azzalure, Neurobloc, Xeomin are pretty awesome at getting rid of lines and wrinkles, but it can also work wonders for a number of other conditions. Here Dr Daniel Hunt from Imperial Aesthetics tells us more about the other health issues that botulinum toxin can tackle.
Painful Sex? Botulinum Toxin Could Help!
Botox® and other botulinum toxin brands are prescription medicine that is frequently used to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. There are other brands available. However, there are many other things that it can treat, including teeth grinding, migraines and sexual dysfunction.
Migraines
Migraines are a common health condition, affecting 1 in 5 women and 1 in 15 men. The predominant symptom is a dreadful headache, typically on one side of the head, but this is often combined with light sensitivity, nausea, vomiting and disrupted vision.
For some individuals, migraines become debilitating. This leads to not only the inability to work, but also to anxiety and depression.
Doctor Emily Andre (wife of Peter Andre) is one of the many individuals who have chosen botulinum toxin to treat their chronic migraines. Learn more about her and how the treatment works here.
Bruxism
Bruxism refers to the habitual grinding of teeth and clenching of the jaw.
Have you ever been busy doing something and suddenly realised that you have been unconsciously clenching your jaw for who knows how long? We hope that mentioning this has just made you relax those muscles!
Unfortunately, frequent teeth grinding and jaw clenching can lead to nasty symptoms, like headaches, earache and disrupted sleep, as well as permanent damage to your teeth.
So, instead of being in pain and having to pay for expensive dentistry, you could just opt for toxin injections. Inhibiting the contraction of the jaw muscles prevents these painful problems and can help to keep your teeth in top condition. Glowday recommends seeking a dentist who also practises in aesthetics for this treatment as it may not be right for everyone.
Calf Shaping
The gastrocnemius muscle is responsible for the ‘bulkiness’ of the calf, so relaxing this leads to a slimmer, more delicate appearance. The procedure is quick, simple and results in neither scarring nor extensive downtime! (It’ll hurt much less than the after-effects of a big leg day!)
When your partner asks what you want for your birthday, you could tell them new calves would go down a treat.
Overactive Bladder
Botulinum toxin is an effective treatment for an overactive bladder, urgency incontinence and neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction.
Injections of the substance are administered to the muscle of the bladder, under a local anaesthetic. This takes just five minutes!
As well as correcting the physical problem, this treatment has also been shown to improve the mental health of those who suffer with these conditions.
Depression
The Facial Feedback Hypothesis suggests that our feelings are influenced by our expressions - they both display and regulate our moods. Therefore, relaxing certain muscles with wrinkle relaxing injections may result in better regulation of emotional states. You can read more about this in one of our previous blogs.
Premature Ejaculation
Premature ejaculation is among the most common sexual dysfunctions. Research suggests that medical intervention, in the form of botulinum toxin, may be a superior treatment to the more frequently prescribed psychotherapy. Ejaculation is a spinal cord reflex in which bulbospongiosus and ischiocavernosus muscles play the primary roles. The inhibition of these muscles may be an effective way to treat life-long struggles with premature ejaculation.
Painful Vaginal Penetration
Vaginismus is a poorly understood condition that leads to pain and difficulty in penetrative vaginal intercourse. These symptoms appear to be due to the involuntary contraction of vaginal muscles. Botox injected into the muscles surrounding the opening of the vagina can reduce this discomfort. Read more about the treatment here.
Find Your Clinic
As you can see, there is so much more to wrinkle relaxin injections than simply smoothing a forehead! Do you suffer from any of these conditions? Then use Glowday to find a top clinic near you who will be able to offer you further advice via a consultation. While they may not administer the treatment themselves for some of these conditions, they will be able to signpost you to a suitable provider.
