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.

Can Botox Get Rid of Your Neck or Back Problem?

When injected into the neck or back muscles, Botox blocks a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine that is involved in muscle contractions. This has the effect of rendering certain muscles inactive.

According to a review of studies in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, doing so may provide temporary relief from certain types of muscle and joint pains.

What researchers don't agree on is how much or effective the pain relief is.

An older review published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews suggests that Botox is no more or less better than an injection of saline into a muscle or joint. Similar findings were made in 2014 when Botox was used to treat myofascial pain in adults.

Not all researchers agree. According to a 2020 review in Frontiers of Neurology, Botox proved far superior to saline in easing certain types of neuropathic (nerve-related) pain. These include post-herpetic neuralgia, diabetic neuropathy, post-stroke pain, occipital neuralgia, post-surgical pain, and piriformis syndrome.

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.