When many people hear the word Botox, they automatically think of its ability to smooth wrinkles and combat signs of aging.
While it’s true that Botox is an extremely popular cosmetic treatment, it’s also FDA-approved for a number of medical applications.
Continue reading to learn five surprising uses for Botox, and if they may be right for you.
1. Hyperhidrosis
Botox is now FDA-approved for the treatment of excessive sweating, also referred to as hyperhidrosis. Up to 3 percent of women and men experience this condition, and it commonly occurs in underarms, palms, and feet.
When injected into overactive sweat glands, Botox can significantly reduce or eliminate embarrassing perspiration for four-to-six months.
2. Migraines
Migraine headaches can be debilitating, especially when medications and other conventional therapies aren’t able to offer relief. Botox has been cleared to treat patients with chronic migraines (defined by 15 or more headache days per month).
During treatment, the neurotoxin is injected in the scalp, temples, neck, and shoulders to prevent pain signals from reaching nerve endings.
3. Overactive Bladder
Overactive bladder can significantly affect a person’s daily functioning and quality of life. Botox is able to improve symptoms by decreasing the urge to urinate and the number of daily urinations.
In one study, researchers found Botox injections reduced the number of daily urinations from five-to-three in 70 percent of patients.
4. Vocal Cord Spasms
Vocal cord spasms can be a long-term voice problem that makes it difficult to talk. When injected through the throat, Botox relaxes muscles, decreases spams, and improves voice quality.
5. Strabismus
Strabismus is another one of the surprising uses of Botox. This condition results in the misalignment of eyes, so that they don’t look in exactly the same direction at the same time.
To temporarily correct this issue, Botox is injected directly into the eye muscle to alter the position of the eyes.
To learn more about the surprising uses for Botox, please call our office today to schedule a comprehensive consultation with one of our highly skilled and talented providers.