February 10th, 2010 
admin We all know of Botox as the anti-aging injection people get to rid themselves of wrinkles. Yet this extract of botulism is now becoming popular in another field: pain management.
Botox has the ability to relieve muscle tension; it blocks a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine that makes muscles contract. A study published in the journal Neurology and summarized at WebMD.com showed Botox to halve the intensity of chronic back pain in 60% of patients after an eight-week period.
Back pain can result from many different factors. If a vertebra is out of place, Botox will not likely help. If the pain is caused by chronic muscle tension, spasm and trigger points, however, Botox may be a relevant treatment.
Trigger points form in muscles that are chronically tense. Inflammation or tension in muscles limits the amount of blood that can flow through them; this means that tense muscles are not getting a sufficient supply of nutrients and oxygen. Toxic chemicals like lactic acid pool in tense muscles and the tissue begins to degrade. Hard nodules may form in the tissue that further prevent blood flow to the area. The nodules are called trigger points.
Trigger points are tender and usually small knots in the tissue surrounding muscles called myofascia. The hard knots can refer pain to other parts of the body by impinging nerves around them.
Botox injections can relax tense muscles and loosen trigger points. This interrupts the pain and spasm cycle for a period of time up to 6 months.
TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) units are sometimes used to relieve back pain caused by spastic muscles. Electrodes are placed on the affected area and electrical impulses are supplied to block pain signals from nerve paths. This does not solve the cause of the pain, but simply blocks the pain signal from being sent.
Botox may serve a larger purpose than just masking symptoms. Although the initial relief provided by a Botox injection may only last 1 to 6 months, the toxin could eventually retrain muscles to be loose and elastic rather than tense. Muscle memory is developed by the brain to allow the body to perform certain tasks automatically; once an action has been done several times, the muscles involved will continue to perform them without conscious thought or effort. While this is handy when it comes to playing an instrument or dancing, it can turn muscle tension into a chronic situation. Forcing the muscles to relax using Botox can retrain muscle memory.
While there is enough scientific reasoning and anecdotal evidence to support the efficacy of Botox injections in treating muscle-related back pain, there is reason to be hesitant. Injections are far more invasive than treatments like massage therapy. Trigger point massage was developed to break up trigger points and restore elasticity to muscles and myofascia. Injections should only be sought as a last resort.
The cost of Botox injections may also be inhibitory for many individuals. Spineuniverse.com estimates that each vial of Botox costs $600.00. Since the treatment is not FDA approved for back pain, insurance will not likely help to pay for it.
For more information on trigger points, refer to TriggerPointMaps.com. This site provides an interactive map to help you locate trigger points you may have and explain referred pain that may originate from them.
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well, I know of a couple people that get Botox injections for their migraine headaches. So, I dont see why they couldnt use it for back pain.
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im not sure I have heard of it being used for low back pain bit it’s often used for trigger points deep in the muscles causing spasm that could be causing low back pain so maybe in that case, yes…
I have trigger points and got injections in my shoulders and neck and they offered to do botox injections in my neck to help the spasms and migraines however I didnt want to risk it due to my autoimmne disease…
I do have a friend with migraines and also has myofascial trigger points and she finds the botox injections to be a miracle and very very helpful for her neck and migraines. It doesnt stop them but it helps to prevent them.
Have you tried a TENS unit.. transcutneous electrical nerve stimulation…. electrodes that can applied to yuour spine and can sometimes help close pain gaits. A lot of people find this helpful. I havve a TENS unit and I like it although it doesnt help my pain enough. I have chronic pain in multiple areas but it does help some pains.
There are other spinal procedures that can be done such as a nerve block etc that can help back pain depending on the cause.
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Recent studies point out the botox may reduce back pain by keeping the muscle from contracting.
Some people may need only one injection and never need more, but other people who suffer from chronic back pain for many many years may need injections every three to four months.
Read more about this at http://www.botoxdallasguide.com
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Taking care of back pain is complicated work, so finding the right chiropractor to go to should be done with EXTREME care.
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Very good stuff.