What is a botox injection?
A botox injection is an injection (shot) of purified toxin from the bacteria that causes botulism or lockjaw. Botox has been given in tiny, calibrated amounts to help people with over active muscles. Botox injections have been used successfully in patients with spastic dysphonia, hemifacial spasm, facial creases and synkinesis. One of the problems that occurs after the facial nerve heals from injury is synkinesis. The facial nerve trunk contains over 7000 motor fibers, and each is specialized in moving either the brow, eye, lower lid, nose or mouth. When injury occurs, the nerve fibers become scrambled, and after regrowth of the nerve, each area of the face will have a jumble of brow, eye, nose and mouth nerve fibers going to it. As a result, mass movement, or sinkinesis occurs. This means that when you want to move one area on one side of your face, all areas on the side of your face move. Is there anything I can do to prevent synkinesis? Although physical therapy helps considerably,
