Botulinum toxin in the treatment of myofascial pain syndrome
One page on PainSci cites Cheshire 1994: The Complete Guide to Trigger Points & Myofascial Pain
original abstract †Abstracts here may not perfectly match originals, for a variety of technical and practical reasons. Some abstacts are truncated for my purposes here, if they are particularly long-winded and unhelpful. I occasionally add clarifying notes. And I make some minor corrections.
Six patients with chronic myofascial pain syndrome involving cervical paraspinal and shoulder girdle muscles received trigger point injections of botulinum toxin type A (Botox) or saline in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Four patients experienced reduction in pain of at least 30% following Botox, but not saline, injections, as measured by visual analog scales, verbal descriptors for pain intensity and unpleasantness, palpable muscle firmness, and pressure pain thresholds. Results were statistically significant. Botox, which inhibits muscle contraction by blocking the release of acetylcholine from peripheral nerves, appears to be an effective treatment for focal myofascial pain disorders.
related content
- “Botulinum toxin A for myofascial trigger point injection: a qualitative systematic review,” Ho et al, European Journal of Pain, 2007.
- “Botulinum toxin A for prophylactic treatment of migraine and tension headaches in adults: a meta-analysis,” Jackson et al, Journal of the American Medical Association, 2012.
- “An update on botulinum toxin A injections of trigger points for myofascial pain,” Zhou et al, Curr Pain Headache Rep, 2014.
- “Botulinum toxin treatment of myofascial pain: a critical review of the literature,” Gerwin, Curr Pain Headache Rep, 2012.
- “Botulinum toxin for myofascial pain syndromes in adults,” Soares et al, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2014.
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