Do you suffer from chronic pain in your jaw? Perhaps some severe tension headaches to go along with it? You may have TMJ, or temporomandibular joint dysfunction. This condition can be very painful and can make it difficult to eat or even speak, so those affected often suffer in silence. Thankfully, there is a treatment that can help: Botox injections.
Keep reading to learn how Botox can help relieve the symptoms of TMJ, and start your journey to recovery today!
Before we talk about how it helps with TMJ, let's learn more about Botox. Botox is a neurotoxin derived from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. It works by blocking the transmission of nerve impulses to muscles, which leads to a temporary paralysis of those muscles.
Botox has historically been used to diminish the appearance of wrinkles and other signs of aging, but it turns out it can also be used for therapeutic purposes. Its ability to relax muscles has proven to be effective in various medical treatments, including TMJ.
Botox injections for TMJ are often done in the temple, forehead, and jaw muscles, as these may all be involved in headaches and jaw pain. By relaxing these muscles, Botox can help relieve the pain and tension associated with TMJ.
It may not be a well-known treatment, but Botox injections for TMJ can be quite effective. For example, one study found that it increased mouth movements and decreased pain in participants for roughly 90 days after treatment, and it's not the only one supporting its efficacy. Another study found that up to 90% of participants saw improvements in their symptoms after receiving injections. It's hard to not want to give a try with these kinds of results!
If you're considering Botox injections for TMJ, your practitioner will likely insist upon an initial consultation to see if you're a good candidate. If you are, then you'll be booked for a treatment session.
Since it's a nonsurgical, outpatient procedure, you'll often receive the injections right in your practitioner's office. They may numb the injection site with a local anesthetic before injecting Botox into the affected muscles.
The procedure is relatively quick and takes anywhere from 10-30 minutes. Now, you may experience some minor discomfort at the injection sites, but it’s typically only temporary.
There is virtually no downtime required after a Botox procedure for TMJ, and you can resume your normal activities immediately. However, you may experience some temporary side effects, such as muscle weakness and bruising around the injection site. These should go away within a few days.
You may also experience some relief from your TMJ symptoms right after the procedure, but this certainly isn't the case for everyone. The full effects of Botox typically take about two weeks to kick in, so be sure to give it some time.
Now, it's important to note here that your results are supposed to be temporary, so don't be surprised if your symptoms come back at some point. Botox only lasts about 3-4 months, so you'll need to go back for additional treatments if you want to maintain your results.
Interested in Botox injections? Contact Lyft Medical Aesthetics today to discuss your needs!
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