What is botulinum toxin infiltration for movement disorders?
Botulinum toxin infiltration is a medical procedure that involves injecting small amounts of botulinum toxin directly into the muscles affected by movement disorders. Botulinum toxin blocks the release of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that causes muscle contraction, which helps to relax the muscles and reduce the symptoms of the movement disorder.
What is this treatment for?
Botulinum toxin infiltration is used to treat a variety of movement disorders, including:
- Dystonia: To reduce involuntary muscle contractions and abnormal movements associated with dystonia, such as spasmodic torticollis (cervical dystonia), blepharospasm (involuntary eyelid contractions), hand dystonia (writer’s cramp), and foot dystonia.
- Spasticity: To reduce muscle stiffness and improve mobility in people with spasticity caused by cerebral palsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis, or other neurological conditions.
- Tremor: To reduce tremors in people with essential tremor or other types of tremor that are not adequately controlled with oral medication.
- Other movement disorders: To treat other movement disorders, such as hemifacial spasm (involuntary contractions on one side of the face) and sialorrhea (excessive salivation).
Benefits of high technology in botulinum toxin infiltration
Botulinum toxin infiltration offers a series of key benefits thanks to the technology it uses:
- Symptom relief: It can provide significant relief from the symptoms of movement disorders, improving patients’ quality of life.
- Electromyography guidance: Electromyography (EMG) can be used to guide the injection of botulinum toxin, allowing for greater precision and effectiveness.
- Treatment personalization: The dose of botulinum toxin and the muscles to be injected are determined individually for each patient, based on their specific symptoms and needs.
- Minimally invasive: It is a minimally invasive procedure that is generally performed in the doctor’s office.
What is the procedure like?
The botulinum toxin infiltration procedure generally proceeds as follows:
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Preparation:
No special preparation is required for this test. It is important to inform your doctor about all the medications you are taking, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements.
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During the treatment:
You will sit or lie down, depending on the muscles to be injected. The skin will be cleaned with an antiseptic. Using guidance (EMG), the doctor will inject small amounts of botulinum toxin into the affected muscles.
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After the treatment:
You can resume your usual activities immediately after the procedure. You may experience some mild side effects, such as pain or muscle weakness at the injection site, but these usually disappear quickly within a few days. The effects of botulinum toxin usually begin to be noticed within a few days and last for 3 to 6 months.
Recommendations for the treatment
Remember that it is important to follow these recommendations to ensure the quality of the study and your comfort:
- Inform about medications: It is important to inform your doctor about all the medications you are taking, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements.
- Avoid certain medications: You may need to avoid certain medications before the procedure, such as blood thinners. Follow your doctor’s instructions.
- Report any discomfort: Tell your doctor about any discomfort or side effects you experience after the procedure.
Are there any risks?
Botulinum toxin infiltration is generally safe, but like any medical procedure, it has some minimal risks to consider:
- Pain or muscle weakness: There may be pain or muscle weakness at the injection site.
- Bruising: A small bruise may form at the injection site.
- Allergic reactions: In rare cases, allergic reactions to botulinum toxin can occur.
- Spread of the toxin: In rare cases, the botulinum toxin can spread to other muscles, causing muscle weakness in unintended areas, for example in the swallowing muscles, leading to difficulty swallowing.
To ensure your treatment goes smoothly, we ask that you arrive before the scheduled time. This will allow us to complete the necessary administrative and clinical preparation.
Before the treatment, we will give you the Informed Consent, a document with important information that you must read and sign.
These treatments are very safe, but as with any medical procedure, there is a minimal possibility of an incident.
