Botox for enlarged prostates!!

Frequently asked questions about botox Nov 26, 2011  Botox is one of the commercial names of the neurotoxic protein called Botulinum Toxin that is produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. The other less known names for Botox are BTXA, Dysport, Myobloc, Neurobloc, Xeomin, and Vistabel. These have both medical and cosmetic usage. Botox treatments aren't as wide spread in our country as they are in the west, therefore an array of misconceptions and doubts persist. Here are a few frequently asked questions about Botox - answered.

Is botox used for medical purposes also? There are both medical and cosmetic uses of this neurotoxic protein; medically it is used to treat writer's cramp, excessive sweating, chronic pain, and neuropathy, also migraine headaches. Various studies have been conducted on this and have reached conducive results. Researchers from King's College London School of Medicine, say that Botox can improve the quality of life for people with overactive bladders. Men with enlarged prostates benefit from Botox injections directly into the prostate, a study at University Medical College, Taiwan has found.

How does this work? Botox works by blocking nerve impulses and so slows down contraction of muscles. The result is muscles that can no longer contract, and so the wrinkles relax and soften. It usually takes two to four days for this to work and the effects tend to last from four to six months. A retreatment is required after that to remove wrinkles and lines as they begin to reappear, but after each time of treatment, the wrinkles return as less severe as the muscles are trained to relax.

What is the procedure to get botox administered?  The protein is injected into the muscle using a fine needle in order to minimizes discomfort and maximize accuracy. It is a short procedure generally lasting about 10 minutes. The patient is not required to be anesthetized too. Although it is recommended that the person going for a Botox treatment should abstain from alcohol for at least seven days before the procedure. Also pain meds and anti inflammatory drugs should not be taken to minimize bruising.

What are the side effects of Botox? The most common side effects of the procedure are headaches, flu, nausea, respiratory infection also bruising. It is also known to cause indigestion problems in some cases. These last for a few days after the treatment is done. Over-doing Botox results in "frozen face" - this happens when people get obsessed with the wrinkle free look and the power to take them off.

Is it worth it?  This is a matter of personal discretion. If you are willing to go through an expensive procedure and also battle the side effects just to minimize the lines that appear on your face, then Botox is for you. A combination of Botox as well as minimal lifting procedures will provide best results in this case.