Facial Medical Conditions That Can Benefit From Botox
Botulinum toxin, better know as "Botox," may be best known for its use as an anti-aging tool, but it has plenty of other uses that can impact medical conditions related to the face. If you have never heard of Botox, or are unfamiliar with how it works, all you really need to know is that it temporarily paralyzes the muscles where it is injected. Its cosmetic benefits are most commonly in the form of wrinkle prevention. Since wrinkles develop over time from repeated use of the same muscles, such as raised eyebrows that cause the skin above them to wrinkle, relaxing the muscles that create those wrinkles means potentially avoiding the wrinkles altogether. Here you can learn about some facial medical conditions that can also benefit from the use of Botox.
Bell's Palsy
Bell's Palsy is caused by compression or inflation of the facial nerve. The result is an inability to fully control the muscles in the face and can include other symptoms, such as ringing ears, pain in the jaw, disorientation or dizziness, and other symptoms. As far as the muscles in the face are concerned, they may fail to respond to the will of the individual or they may become overactive. Botox injections can reduce this over-activity and some of the pain associated with it as the treatment paralyzes the overactive muscle.
TMJ
Temporo-mandibular joint disorders can be extremely painful and turn everyday activities into chores. Eating, talking, and any other movement of the jaw can become painful, but the constant tension can also lead to severe headaches and migraines. TMJ causes a constant unconscious clenching of the powerful jaw muscle, leading to the painful side effects mentioned earlier. Botox can be helpful when treating TMJ because it relaxes the jaw muscle, preventing the constant clenching that is the hallmark of TMJ.
Facial Spasms
Some medical conditions or predispositions can lead to facial spasms that aren't just irritating and painful, but can lead to a lack of functionality. The spasms occur when the nerves send messages to the muscle to move or tighten. The Botox prevents the muscles from getting these messages, effectively relaxing the facial muscles temporarily. From general facial twitches to eye muscles that pull the eyes in the wrong direction, Botox helps the muscles relax so that everyday functions can be performed. In the case of the eyes, it also helps the brain develop proper patterns with the eyes that make them function as intended.
Botox was originally used for medical purposes rather than cosmetic, but it has benefits in both areas. While the cosmetic benefits aren't to be overlooked, the benefits of Botox when it comes to facial medical conditions should not be forgotten.
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