How Botulinum Toxin (aka: Botox, Xeomin, Dysport) Injections Help Patients with Dystonia

Dystonia, a movement disorder that causes involuntary muscle contractions, impacts the lives of over a quarter million people in the United States. It comes after essential tremors and Parkinson’s disease as the third-leading movement disorder and can cause muscle tightening, twisting, and tremors that vary based on the type of dystonia. 

When it only affects one muscle group or area, the condition is called focal dystonia. Dystonia that affects two or more parts of your body is called segmental dystonia, and if you have the condition all over, it’s called general dystonia. All types can significantly impact your well-being and personal independence. 

• While the exact cause of dystonia remains a mystery, effective treatment is within reach. Delaware NeuroRehab in Dover, Delaware, provides treatment for neurological conditions, like dystonia and spasticity, using a surprising solution: Botulinum Toxin injections (aka: Botox®, Xeomin®, and Dysport®)

You read that correctly. The same Botulinum Toxin that smooths wrinkles and fine lines for roughly 6.2 million satisfied patients worldwide can also treat faulty nerves and muscle movements caused by dystonia. Continue reading to find out how a medication known for its cosmetic use is also a valuable tool for our team. 

The mechanism behind Botulinum toxin

Botox, Xeomin and Dysport rely on its main ingredient — a natural neurotoxin called botulinum toxin. It’s the same toxin that causes botulism, but it can also be harnessed for good. Though botulism sounds scary, when you get professional Botox treatments, you’re not at risk of becoming ill.

When purified and injected, botulinum toxin impacts specifically targeted muscles. It acts upon the motor nerves in a given muscle to temporarily halt its signals. As a result, the targeted muscle can no longer flex voluntarily or involuntarily. 

When Botulinum Toxin treats wrinkles, it works because the wrinkles are due to repeated muscle movements and facial expressions. Botulinum Toxin stops those muscles from moving, eliminating the wrinkles.

Botulinum Toxin for dystonia

If you have dystonia, your symptoms stem from abnormal function in your brain. The basal ganglia is a structure in the center of your brain that forms neural connections so multiple parts of your brain can cooperate. 

Botulinum Toxin works by inhibiting the signals from your brain that travel through your nerves and into the affected muscles. While the medication is active, the dystonic muscles cannot act up to cause the involuntary contractions. With minimal recovery time and months-long results, Botulinum Toxin is an excellent nonsurgical treatment option for a condition that doesn’t currently have a cure. 

A long-term solution

Even though the effects of Botulinum Toxin injections last for 3-4 months, you can safely get them repeatedly for dystonia as long as you don’t experience any negative reactions or allergies to Botulinum Toxin. Our team helps you plan ahead for injections every 3-4 months if you’re satisfied with the results. 

Start planning your treatment today

Our team at Delaware NeuroRehab welcomes you to schedule an appointment over the phone or use the online scheduling feature to book a consultation for dystonia treatment today.