Botox

Brand Names

Botox, Botox Cosmetic

What is Botox

Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA) is a sterile, vacuum-dried purified botulinum toxin type A, made from the bacteria that causes botulism. Botulinum toxin blocks nerve activity in the muscles, causing a temporary reduction in muscle activity.

Side effects of Botox

• Cough
• Flu-like symptoms such as a fever and chills
• Back pain
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Dizziness
• Soreness at the injection site
• Weakness
• Dry mouth
• Drowsiness
• Bleeding at the injection site
• Infection
• Sore throat
• Anxiety
• Bronchitis
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Nausea
• Fatigue

Indication

Botox is intended to treat cervical dystonia (severe spasms in the neck muscles), muscle spasms in the arms and hands, severe underarm sweating (hyperhidrosis), urinary incontinence in people with neurologic conditions and to prevent headaches in adult patients with chronic migraine.

This medicine is also used to treat certain eye muscle, overactive bladder and incontinence (urine leakage) conditions caused by nerve disorders. This includes uncontrolled blinking or spasm of the eyelids.

Botox Cosmetic is used to temporarily lessen the appearance of facial wrinkles.

Botox is also used to prevent chronic migraine headaches in adults who have migraines for more than 15 days per month, each lasting 4 hours or longer. Botox should not be used to cure a common tension headache.

Precautions

You should not receive Botox if you have an allergic reaction to botulinum toxin, or if you have an infection, swelling, or muscle weakness in the area where the medicine will be injected.

Inform your doctor if you have any of these conditions:

• amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or "Lou Gehrig's disease")
• myasthenia gravis
• Lambert-Eaton syndrome
• a breathing disorder such as asthma or emphysema
• problems with swallowing
• facial muscle weakness (droopy eyelids, weak forehead, trouble raising your eyebrows)
• a change in the normal appearance of your face
• a seizure disorder
• bleeding problems
• heart disease
• if you have had or will have surgery (especially on your face)
• if you have ever received other Botox injections such as Dysport or Myobloc (especially in the last 4 months)

Dosage forms

The dose of Botox depends on a number of factors, including:

• The condition being treated
• How you respond to Botox
• Other medical conditions you may have
• Other medications you may be currently taking

Botox Dosage for Head and Neck Spasms: depends on the characteristics of your spasms and how you respond to Botox, that's why there is no standard recommended Botox dosage for this use.

Botox Dosage for Upper Limb Spasticity: 75-360 units per treatment session. It depends on the size and number of muscles, the severity of the spasticity, whether or not you have muscle weakness, and how you have responded to Botox in the past. You should repeat this treatment every 12 weeks.

Botox Dosage for Overactive Bladder: 200 units per treatment session. You may be sedated (or not), or you may need general anesthesia, depending on several factors. Treatment sessions can be repeated as soon as the effects wear off (but no sooner than every 12 weeks), although the effects usually last for quite a while longer (around 42 to 48 weeks) for most people.

Botox Dosage for Eyelid Spasms: Botox 0. 05 to 0.1 mL per each injection site (for a total of 1.25 to 2.5 units) into certain muscles that control the eyelids.

Botox Dosage for Misaligned Eyes: Botox 0.05 to 0.15 mL per muscle. Special techniques must be used to ensure injection into the proper site with the help of a special needle that measures electrical signals from the muscle. A few minutes before your injection your doctor may give you anesthetic eyedrops .

Botox Dosage for Wrinkles: 5 injections of Botox, each containing 0.1 mL (four units) of the drug, in specific areas above and between the eyebrows.

Botox Dosage for Chronic Migraines: 155 units of Botox, given in 31 small injections in specific muscles of the face, head, and neck. You should repeat this treatment every 12 weeks.