What is BOTOX® and Myobloc?
BOTOX® is botulinum toxin A and Myobloc is the new, recently released, botulinum toxin B. These are two of the toxins produced by the clostridia botulinum bacteria that cause weakness of the muscles injected. Botulinum toxin A (BOTOX®) was first used back in the mid-1980s to treat strabismus. It was later FDA approved for this condition, as well as in treatment of blepharospasm, and then torticollis. These latter conditions are focal dystonias or movement disorders. The use of botulinum toxin has expanded to multiple areas, including treatment of hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), excessive muscle contractions following a stroke or other injury to the brain or spinal cord, movement disorders affecting the voice, chronic muscle spasm, and the treatment of wrinkles. It is a safe treatment in these conditions and there are minimal side-effects that can occur (mostly from the injection of the medication such as bruising). Further information about this can be found through this web site.
