Most of us hear the word Botox and think of cosmetic enhancements or anti-wrinkle treatments, but the fact of the matter is, this serum is used for so much more. Botox injections are actually used by oral surgeons to treat facial pain, migraines, bruxism, and even TMJ symptoms, and oftentimes with great success. As it turns out, the uses of Botox outside of smoothing wrinkles are many.
Botox for Trigeminal Neuralgia
Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic pain condition that affects the trigeminal nerve, a nerve that carries sensation from the face to the brain. People who suffer from this condition deal with sometimes very severe facial pain caused by even the mildest forms of stimulation such as brushing your teeth or applying makeup.
Symptoms include episodes of severe, shooting, or stabbing pain that can feel like an electric shock, lasting from a few seconds to several minutes at a time. These bouts of pain occur in areas supplied by the trigeminal nerve such as the cheeks, jaw, teeth, gums, lips, and sometimes even the eyes and forehead. This pain can be treated and minimized with Botox injections.
Botox for Migraine Treatment
Botox is also sometimes used to treat chronic migraine headaches. The Botox is injected around pain fibers involved in headaches, and enters the nerve endings helping to block the release of the chemicals involved in the transmission of pain. In this application, the drug works to prevent migraine headaches before they start, but that said, it can take time to become effective. In other words, patients often see the effects after several treatments. One treatment can last up to 10 or 12 weeks, sometimes reducing migraines dramatically.
TMJ Improvement with Botox
TMJ disorders come with pain or tenderness of the jaw, pain in one or both of the temporomandibular joints, ear aches, difficulty or pain with chewing, locking joints making it hard to open or close the mouth, and facial pain. These symptoms can also be minimized with the use of Botox injections.
Your oral surgeon can inject Botox into your forehead, temple, and jaw muscles, as well as other areas depending on your specific symptoms. Some improvement may be noted within a day or two, but it can generally take several days for patients to note considerable relief.
Though the FDA has approved Botox use for migraine treatment, they have not yet for TMJ, so you may have to pay out of pocket for these services through your Chattanooga oral surgery office. Our team at Ocoee is happy to help figure out what your particular insurance provider will cover in the way of treatments.
If you experience facial pain from any of the mentioned conditions from bruxism to migraines to TMJ pain, contact our office today to discuss potential treatments. We’re here to help you get the relief you’re looking for!
