[TraceyW]

hey all, hope your well

i am booked in for botox into my sternoclestiod next weds. (which my pain cons think it a big cause of my pain) i was booked for this procedure in april/may, and have since been undergoing physio with a brilliant lady, i saw her today to discuss the effects of her physical manipulations on my spine over the last few months and if i should do the botox. She thinks that my neck muscles are hanging on tight and will not release despite all her efforts.....when she presses on them my symptoms are reproduced in my shoulder balde.

She says the decision is mine about botox giving my the advice that it could be v useful, not at all useful - or even make it worse --- and there is no way of telling until i have it done!!!! She did tell me that she thinks that my tight scalenes have been with me for so long and have become my bodies coping mechanisn - and she isnt sure what will happen once they are botoxed (perhaps the pain will become worse?!). I think i understand what she is getting at....

This isnt all that useful to me as im terribly worried about making it worse!

My question is - has anyone found that botox in the neck increased/permanently flared their pain/symptoms?

[(Broken Wings)]

Originally Posted by TraceyW

hey all, hope your well

i am booked in for botox into my sternoclestiod next weds. (which my pain cons think it a big cause of my pain) i was booked for this procedure in april/may, and have since been undergoing physio with a brilliant lady, i saw her today to discuss the effects of her physical manipulations on my spine over the last few months and if i should do the botox. She thinks that my neck muscles are hanging on tight and will not release despite all her efforts.....when she presses on them my symptoms are reproduced in my shoulder balde.

She says the decision is mine about botox giving my the advice that it could be v useful, not at all useful - or even make it worse --- and there is no way of telling until i have it done!!!! She did tell me that she thinks that my tight scalenes have been with me for so long and have become my bodies coping mechanisn - and she isnt sure what will happen once they are botoxed (perhaps the pain will become worse?!). I think i understand what she is getting at....

This isnt all that useful to me as im terribly worried about making it worse!

My question is - has anyone found that botox in the neck increased/permanently flared their pain/symptoms?

Hi

I had botox in my scalens. I think it helped in many ways. The TMJ component was resolved for a couple of weeks after botox. It's expensive but worth it.

For me they used a small needle. It was not very painful. The anxiety and anticipation was worse than the stick. Don't be afraid of the needle. It'll be okay.

Hope to ee you around the forum

Best of luck with yours

[Jomar]

I think quite a few have had a variety of injections to calm muscle spasms.
Only a rare few had complications if I recall correctly.

Has the physio person tried trigger point and a variety of muscle/ fascia release styles already?
Does she work on your posture also and give you "homework"?

But from what I have read over the years { and how my chiro explained it}, if the nerve is compressed or having even a twinge of impingement from whatever - be it sticky tissues, muscles, bones or ligaments - the nerve sends a signal to the muscles causing them to react and then the tightened muscle in turn can happen to impinge the nerve or others even more.
Then a bad cycle is created.
And it needs to be broken and the true cause discovered if at all possible.

I don't have any personal experience or input on the injections.

But if you do go ahead with it be sure the Dr is experienced and skilled.

A question for anyone-
For most injections is a fluoroscope? {for visual} recommended for proper placement?

[TraceyW]

thanks for your responses, i think that my physio has tried mobilisation but not the other tech's you mention, i will ask her next visit (which will be 2 weeks after the botox).

i think that i will go for it as i think that your right in saying that complication are very rare - the dr doing the injections is a pain consultant who performs these routinely and will use a nerve stimulator so im sure it will be fine!!

at the end of the day, its not the worse thing in the world they could do to me!....something like a rib removal could have more potential to make it worse than botox im sure...

[Horizontal One]

Hi ....any joy with the BOTOX yet or are you waiting on it a while.
Tracey -Sorry not called you....had family bereavement and just chaotic but settling now so maybe get to call you.

[TraceyW]

hey helen, sorry to hear that you've had a family loss - hope your coping ok.

Had the botox on the 22nd - he put it into 3 neck muscles - was sore in the injected area for about a week or so. Think i have noticed tesome small positive changes, like tolerating certain activities for longer before they cause me pain.

going to see my physio later today so will see what she thinks regarding the tightness in my neck - hope its made some sort of difference!

take care

[olecyn]

O YEAH MAN. I am so grateful for the pain relief it gives me. It calms the muscles down from spasming & pressing on the nerves. Then u go into a full range of motion exercises *prone, swimming, flossing & nerve glides. It really helps calm the nerves to a degree. Like DI MARIE says " surgery isnt a fix/cure, it helps relieve." As does botox inter scalene , traps, subscaps, pects, cervicle dystonia, etc...

[tshadow]

I had botox done to neck, shoulder blade area and a little on forearm. 3 times now. Each time, it took about a week to feel relief. (It just freezes the spasming by the toxin in it.) It lasts about 3 months - but that's with the best time at 1 1/2 month - because it comes on slowly and goes off even slower.

I noticed after botox came on (you'll notice relief) that then I felt the other areas / muscles that were so painful - so it was very helpful and I'd do it again, but it just relieved my pain about 30 * to specific areas injected.

Injections are nothing - at their worst they are a quick bee sting - my doc and I used to yodle to get through them like a joke...just because I was nervous.

warning - no one knows yet what the long term use of botox does in the body. It is a toxin. It is only effective for about 6 times, then the body does not respond. WhY? One must ask...

[(Broken Wings)]

Originally Posted by tshadow

I had botox done to neck, shoulder blade area and a little on forearm. 3 times now. Each time, it took about a week to feel relief. (It just freezes the spasming by the toxin in it.) It lasts about 3 months - but that's with the best time at 1 1/2 month - because it comes on slowly and goes off even slower.

I noticed after botox came on (you'll notice relief) that then I felt the other areas / muscles that were so painful - so it was very helpful and I'd do it again, but it just relieved my pain about 30 * to specific areas injected.

Injections are nothing - at their worst they are a quick bee sting - my doc and I used to yodle to get through them like a joke...just because I was nervous.

warning - no one knows yet what the long term use of botox does in the body. It is a toxin. It is only effective for about 6 times, then the body does not respond. WhY? One must ask...

Point well taken. I couldn't agree more. They don't know what these tests, treatments and procedures are really doing to our bodies, to the full extent, microscopically. Be a better guardian for your good health.

It's hard to give up old habits. I'm pretty stubborn about giving up things that are bad for me. Oh, how I love my Pepsi. I need to give it up. I'll have to pray hard about that one. Can't do it on my own. I do know better.

I had Botox X3. It did help. I think even today I can see results from those injections. When I drive 45 min+ one way and back home (90 min for the day), my scalenes will tend to swell. The next day they're tight but give up their grip and then they're flabby the next morning. I noticed that became a pattern after my bilateral botox X3 occurred, which that's okay by me. Flab instead of tight is great!!!!!!!

My nurse sister don't know what to think. Can't figure that one out. I tell her and yet she just flaps them back and forth and says "hum."

[TraceyW]

well a month and a half in and im feeling ok - havent had as much arm/shoulder blade pain as i was having before....and i can sustain some activities for longer than usual without pain.

my physio has put me on a programme of stretching to take advantage whilst the muscles are more relaxed - i had localised pain in the scalenes after the injections for about a week and a half and then that wore off.

i am going to see my pain cons at start of oct to decide whether to do another round - my physio seems to think it would be a good idea as it has loosened up the scalenes a lot and enabled me to stretch more. i have the same health worries - but i think that may be a risk worth taking ....