Botox and Joint Pain

Botox has recently been in the news as a tool to help with chronic pain. For years it has been used to relieve symptoms of migraines in appropriate candidates. Patients with chronic pain associated with temporomandibular joint disorders may be a candidate for Botox administration. Temporomandibular joint disorders are multi-factorial and a patient must first be assessed by a surgeon to determine the cause of the dysfunction or pain.

The anatomy of the joint itself is a ball and socket joint with a cartilage disc in between the ball and the socket. There is then a large network of muscles that allows for functioning of the joint. Pain or dysfunction of the joints can be due to any component of the joint including the bones, the disc or the muscles. The source of the pain must be narrowed down to determine the appropriate treatment plan.

Typically patients with boney changes in the joint due to either trauma or early arthritis are not good candidates for Botox. Pain that is musculature in origin may benefit from the use of Botox . Pain in a muscle is due to some kind of muscle injury and the pain in an indication from the body that something is wrong. The Botox is administered in certain muscles of the joint and face. The purpose of the Botox is to paralyze a portion of the muscle belly so that the body can start a repair process of the injured site.

How do muscle injuries of the joint occur? The source can be due to multiple factors that include but are not limited to trauma, whip lash injuries, motor vehicle accidents, chronic clenching or grinding of teeth. Sometimes the source is not identifiable. The Botox must be administered in a set regime and must be combined with several other pharmacologic and maintenance therapies to be successful.

If you suffer from chronic joint pain make an appointment for a consultation with one of our surgeons to find our if Botox might be right for you.