Botox injections which have been traditionally used to decrease wrinkles in our aging population obsessed with looking beautiful have recently been used to treat patients with chronic neck and shoulder pain. Headaches very often accompany chronic neck pain caused by the trauma suffered by our Coachella Valley and Palm Desert auto accident clients. Dr. Robert Duarte of the Pain Center at the Cushing Neuroscience Institute in Great Neck, New York confirmed that at his pain center it is known that neck pain can bring on headaches. Many of our clients at Barry Regar APLC report that their headaches started after a car crash in which they have no recollection of hitting their heads. They are puzzled about the cause of these headaches and seem somewhat relieved when I advise them that they will experience relief from their headaches when their neck symptoms resolve or improve. They appreciate our medical knowledge at our law office which is usually validated by their own doctors or physical therapists.
A research team at UCLA selected 118 patients who had been suffering pain that had lasted over two months. These patients had failed other forms of pain management medication. The group was divided, thus providing some of the test subjects with injections of botulinum toxin type A while the others received a placebo set of injections. The Botox group reported a greater decrease in pain scores than the placebo group. Also noted was that the Botox test subjects experienced a significant reduction in the frequency of their headaches and their intensity.
The UCLA researchers explained that their results certainly suggested that injections of Botox may in fact be a viable option for patients who have chronic neck and shoulder pain that has resisted the usual modalities of treatment such as pain pills, muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatory meds and physical therapy. Dr. Andrea Nicol, the director of research at the UCLA Pain Management Center stated, "At best, long term benefit with traditional therapies is transient and unpredictable."
Dr. Victor Khable chief of the department of surgery at the Orthopedic and Spine Institute at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, New York, stated that, "Botox injections may play a role for those patients who have failed more traditional treatment protocols" He cautioned that the preliminary test results are promising; but additional studies are required to fully determine the efficacy and safety of the use of Botox for patients with chronic neck symptoms.
I have seen evidence in our Palm Desert personal injury practice of clients who have had some positive symptom response to Botox injections.
Although I am a lawyer and not a doctor I nevertheless have the medical knowledge to evaluate our client's injury claims.
Contact a lawyer at this firm for a thorough analysis of your personal injury case. There is no charge for your telephone or, "in office", consultation.