Re: Back Spasms, Leg Contractions/Botox

[Guest guest]

Bill,

I may be wrong, and I'm sure someone will let me know

if I am :-), but I think that Botox works, not by

eating away part of the muscle, but by temporarily

paralyzing the nerve endings that are causing the

contractions in a particular muscle, thereby

preventing it from cramping/contracting. At least that

is the impression I got from Dr. Jankovic, who did my

father's injections.

in OK

> Botox shots are NOT anesthesiology. They are a next

> to the last try

> situation for when your muscles are so tight they a

> permanently cramped

> and will not release. There is a chance that you

> will lose all movement

> and they will totally relax. They are shooting a

> toxin into your muscle

> that relaxes it by eating away some of the muscle -

> which is better than

> severing the muscle which is the final way of

> handling dystonia.

>

> Muscle relaxers and exercise is a much better method

> of control in early

> MSA. Charlotte started a regular exercise program

> about 1995 and it

> worked until recently when she stopped doing the

> exercises. As Jim said

> it helps him too. Several people have mentioned Tai

> Chi as a pain

> control method as well as to keep movement.

>

> Take care, Bill and Charlotte

>

> Waverley Beauchamp wrote:

>

> > Thank you Jim, I will be going to a pain clinic

> at jefferson Hospital

> > on Monday and we'll see if they have any

> suggestions. I was up all

> > night again with the pain- woke up feeling hung

> like I'd done 12

> > tequila shots. I will ask about botox. Is that

> preferable to

> > Cortisone? I know you can't have that too many

> times and I am not

> > sure if it helpful besides antiinflamation. Who

> usually prescribes and

> > administers botox- anesthesiology? I would like to

> learn more about

> > this. How are you feeling? Waverley

> >

> > >>> jark8@... 08/01/01 08:06PM >>>Waverly,

> One of our specialties

> > at 3M was products for muscle spasms.One of the

> things about skeletal

> > muscle spasm, especially in large back muscles, is

> that the condition

> > involves pain, inflammation, and muscle spasm.

> There are many fine

> > drugs which treat all there conditions. I have had

> back problems for a

> > while and the most effective relief comes when I

> combine medication

> > with physical therapy. If the spasms are in the

> same muscle all the

> > time, Botox may be in order. God Bless,Jim Stark

> >

> >

> > If you do not wish to belong to shydrager, you may

> > unsubscribe by sending a blank email to

> >

> > shydrager-unsubscribe

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

in OK,

You are correct about the action of Botox it enters the nerve and inhibits

the acetylcholine receptor sites.

Attached is the mechanism of action.

God Bless,

Jim Stark

Re: Back Spasms, Leg Contractions/Botox

> Bill,

>

> I may be wrong, and I'm sure someone will let me know

> if I am :-), but I think that Botox works, not by

> eating away part of the muscle, but by temporarily

> paralyzing the nerve endings that are causing the

> contractions in a particular muscle, thereby

> preventing it from cramping/contracting. At least that

> is the impression I got from Dr. Jankovic, who did my

> father's injections.

>

> in OK

Botulinum Toxin

CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY

BOTOX ® (Botulinum Toxin Type A) Purified Neurotoxin Complex blocks neuromuscular conduction by binding to receptor sites on motor nerve terminals, entering the nerve terminals, and inhibiting the release of acetylcholine. When injected intramuscularly at therapeutic doses, BOTOX ® produces a localized chemical denervation muscle paralysis. When the muscle is chemically denervated, it atrophies and may develop extrajunctional acetylcholine receptors. There is evidence that the nerve can sprout and reinnervate the muscle, with the weakness thus being reversible.

The paralytic effect on muscles injected with BOTOX ® Purified Neurotoxin Complex is useful in reducing the excessive, abnormal contractions associated with blepharospasm. When used for the treatment of strabismus, it is postulated that the administration of BOTOX ® affects muscle pairs by inducing an atrophic lengthening of the injected muscle and a corresponding shortening of the muscle’s antagonist. Following peri-ocular injection of BOTOX ®, distant muscles show electrophysiologic changes but no clinical weakness or other clinical change for a period of several weeks or months, parallel to the duration of local clinical paralysis.1

In one study, botulinum toxin was evaluated in 27 patients with essential blepharospasm. Twenty-six of the patients had previously undergone drug treatment utilizing benztropine mesylate, clonazepam and/or baclofen without adequate clinical results. Three of these patients then underwent muscle stripping surgery still without an adequate outcome. One patient of the 27 was previously untreated. Upon using botulinum toxin, 25 of the 27 patients reported improvement within 48 hours. One of the other patients was later controlled with a higher dosage. The remaining patient reported only mild improvement but remained functionally impaired.2

In another study, 12 patients with blepharospasm were evaluated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. All patients receiving botulinum toxin (n=8) were improved compared with no improvements in the placebo group (n=4). The mean dystonia score improved by 72%, the self-assessment score rating improved by 61%, and a videotape evaluation rating improved by 39%. The effects of the treatment lasted a mean of 12.5 weeks.3

One thousand six hundred eighty-four patients with blepharospasm evaluated in an open trial showed clinical improvement lasting an average of 12.5 weeks prior to the need for retreatment.4

Six hundred seventy-seven patients with strabismus treated with one or more injections of BOTOX ® Purified Neurotoxin Complex were evaluated in an open trial. Fifty-five percent of these patients were improved to an alignment of 10 prism diopters or less when evaluated six months or more following injection.5 These results are consistent with results from additional open label trials which were conducted for this indication.4

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