Back pain has a variety of causes, so there is no one treatment that can help it. Your doctor may have to try different approaches to find a way to relieve your pain, but the first step is to determine the cause. If your pain is caused by muscle spasms, then finding a way to stop the spasms is fundamental to your treatment. Botox injections might be able to help since the injections have a paralyzing effect on muscles. Here are some things to know about using Botox, or botulinum A, for back pain.

How Muscle Spasms Cause Back Pain

Muscle spasms are a common cause of back pain, and they might affect the lower back or the upper back and neck area. The spasms can start after you've injured your back by twisting or falling. The slightest movement may trigger a spasm that results in sharp pain that makes it difficult to go about your usual activities. Spasms from injuries may resolve once your muscles have healed, but spasms that are caused by a medical condition may become chronic and cause constant pain.

One solution might be to take muscle relaxants that have an effect on your entire body. A benefit of botulinum A injections is that they are targeted to a specific muscle.

How Botox Injections Might Help

Botulinum A is well-known for smoothing out wrinkles because of the way it relaxes muscles. This relaxation effect can have pain-relieving qualities as well. The injections have been used to treat migraines, and botulinum A has been approved for certain medical conditions that cause muscle contractions in the neck. Because of its ability to reduce pain, some back pain treatment centers use the injections for lower back pain that's caused by muscle spasms. Botox doesn't have widespread use for lower back pain, but it might be an option your doctor can try if it's appropriate for your condition.

You receive the injections directly into your back. The injections are used to control pain rather than cure your back condition, so the injections need to be repeated when the effect starts to wear off, which could be in a few months. In addition to receiving the injections, your doctor may also prescribe other treatments that help your muscles to heal quicker such as physical therapy.

If you're having problems with back pain, and you can't seem to get comfortable or recover from your injury, then you may need to go to a back pain treatment center where a variety of treatments, such as botulinum A are available. The doctor can help you decide on the best way to manage your pain and help your back so you can resume a more normal life without being in constant pain you can't control.

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