Botulinum Toxin Injections
The introduction of botulinum toxin as a therapeutic tool in the late 1980s revolutionized the treatment of dystonia by offering a new, localized method to significantly relieve symptoms for many people. Botulinum toxin, a biological product, is injected into specific muscles where it acts to relax the muscles and reduce excessive muscle contractions.
Botulinum toxin is derived from the bacterium
Clostridium botulinum. It is a nerve "blocker" that binds to the nerves that lead to the muscle and prevents the release of
acetylcholine, a
neurotransmitter that activates muscle contractions. If the message is blocked, muscle spasms are significantly reduced or eliminated.
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