Botox for Neck and Back Pain

Although Botox is best known as a wrinkle smoother, it has also started to gain steam for a number of other purposes, including migraines, overactive bladder, certain eye conditions, excessive sweating, and neck and back pain relief.

Botox and syringe on a table
Guido Mieth / Getty Images

Can Botox Get Rid of Your Neck or Back Problem?

When injected into the neck or back muscles, Botox works its reported magic by blocking a neurotransmitter compound known as acetylcholine; this has the effect of rendering muscles and/or glands inactive, according to an evidence-based review published in the February 2013 issue of the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.

Note that Botox, in this case, is not intended as a cure, either, but rather to serve as a temporary pain relief measure.

The question is, can Botox really relieve your muscle-related pain? And if so, which type — neck, back, or both?

For muscle related spine pain, the short answer is, don't get your hopes up.

The authors of the review mentioned above researched other reviews on the medical uses of Botox and found that in general, physicians tend not to recommend this use of the drug as a chronic pain treatment to other physicians. 

One reason for this may be that pain relief from Botox injections seem to be on par with the amount of pain relief that can be had with injections of saline solutions, according to a 2011 Cochrane Database System Review.

In other words, not much relief can be had from a Botox injection into your muscles. The Cochrane researchers found good evidence that Botox is ineffective at relieving neck pain or improving functioning.

Botox for low back pain had received similar ratings with one important exception: Even fewer studies have been done to determine its effectiveness at relieving pain or improving your physical functioning. 

And a 2014 Cochrane review found inconclusive evidence for the use of Botox in cases of myofascial pain syndrome and trigger points.

Botox for Your Nerves

There are two types of Botox — Botulinum toxin A, and Botulinum toxin B. For spine pain caused by tight or stiff muscles, Botulinum toxin A is generally used.

In recent years, both the A and B types have been studied for nerve-related pain. A 2017 review found evidence for the use of Botulinum toxin A in cases of postherpetic neuralgia, trigeminal neuralgia, and neuropathic pain brought on by spinal cord injury.

The same review suggests that Botulinum toxin B may be helpful in cases of diabetic neuropathy, pain related to stroke and neuralgia following surgery,

Botox Treatment for Wry Neck, or Cervical Dystonia

But one neck condition that does seem to respond to Botox treatment is cervical dystonia, Other names for cervical dystonia include spasmodic torticollis and wry neck.

Cervical dystonia is a condition in which neck muscles remain in constant contraction. Not only does wry neck cause neck pain, but it also leads to twisted and/or other awkward neck positions that are very difficult to release.

The Royal Society of Medicine review mentioned earlier found that a single injection of Botox is effective and can be safely repeated if necessary. The authors say that Botox not only reduces abnormal movements and contractures associated with these conditions, but it also can prevent related spinal degeneration and radiculopathy.

The Tox in Botox

Botox's full name, Botulinum toxin, gives us a clue about its nature. It is a poison that can paralyze nerves but may also possess some therapeutic uses. A 2016 article published in the Indian Journal of Dermatology, calls the drug "the miracle poison."

But in the hands of the wrong health practitioner, or, illegally, the wrong layperson, Botulinum toxin can have devastating effects on the nervous system. Until it is properly diluted and prepared, it remains poisonous. 

9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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  2. Persaud R, Garas G, Silva S, Stamatoglou C, Chatrath P, Patel K. An evidence-based review of botulinum toxin (Botox) applications in non-cosmetic head and neck conditionsJRSM Short Rep. 2013;4(2):10. doi:10.1177/2042533312472115

  3. Sim WS. Application of botulinum toxin in pain managementKorean J Pain. 2011;24(1):1–6. doi:10.3344/kjp.2011.24.1.1

  4. Waseem Z, Boulias C, Gordon A, Ismail F, Sheean G, Furlan AD. Botulinum toxin injections for low-back pain and sciatica. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011 Jan 19;(1):CD008257. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008257.pub2

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  6. Park J, Park HJ. Botulinum Toxin for the Treatment of Neuropathic PainToxins (Basel). 2017;9(9):260. Published 2017 Aug 24. doi:10.3390/toxins9090260

  7. Velickovic M, Benabou R, Brin MF. Cervical dystonia pathophysiology and treatment options. Drugs; 61(13):1921-43.

  8. Elhefnawy AM. Assessment of intralesional injection of botulinum toxin type A injection for hypertrophic scars. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2016 May-Jun;82(3):279-83. doi: 10.4103/0378-6323.173586

  9. Orsini M, Leite MA, Chung TM, et al. Botulinum Neurotoxin Type A in Neurology: UpdateNeurol Int. 2015;7(2):5886. Published 2015 Sep 24. doi:10.4081/ni.2015.5886

Additional Reading

By Anne Asher, CPT
Anne Asher, ACE-certified personal trainer, health coach, and orthopedic exercise specialist, is a back and neck pain expert.