Botox Injections: What You Need To Know
Botox is a drug that can be injected into your body. The drug blocks signals from the nerves to the muscles, which temporarily prevents the muscle from moving. For example, this helps relax the face and reduce facial wrinkles. The effects of Botox injections do wear off after a few months, so you need to go back in for follow-up Botox injections once they do.
What Do Botox Injections Help With?
Botox injections are most known for helping reduce the wrinkles on your face. However, they also help with many other things, including:
- Chronic migraines
- Excessive sweating
- Neck and shoulder spasms
- Eye twitching
- Lazy eye
- Overactive bladder
How Are Botox Injections Done?
Botox injections are similar to a shot. Your doctor uses a needle to simply inject the Botox into a certain area of your body. Depending on how sensitive the area you're injecting is, the doctor may suggest numbing the area before the injection. The area could be numbed using:
- Ice or an ice pack
- Topical anesthesia or a topical cream
- Vibration anesthesia
What Are the Risks?
Just like everything else in the world, there are possible side effects to Botox injections. Some of the side effects could include:
- Pain and swelling
- Headache
- Droopy eyelid
- Difficulty swallowing
- Muscle weakness
If you start having side effects that are affecting you to the point of debilitation, like muscle weakness and swallowing issues, it is best to reach out to your doctor immediately. These issues could mean that the Botox has spread to a different area in your body and can become very harmful.
What to Avoid After Botox Injections
To prevent the injected Botox from traveling to different areas in your body that may cause harmful side effects, some things to avoid include:
- Rubbing the injection site for 24 hours
- Laying down for 4 hours
- Drinking any alcohol for a few days
- Taking blood thinners for 48 hours
- Physical exertion for 2 days to 1 week
Who Is Able to Perform Botox Injections?
Botox injections are something you should first discuss with your primary physician. Your primary physician can then refer you to a doctor who can administer the Botox injections to you. The type of doctor you are referred to may vary depending on the reason you want to receive the injections. For example, if you want to receive Botox injections due to chronic migraines, your doctor may refer you to a neurologist.
