By: Shelagh McNally for Back1They’re not your usual solution to back pain, but they are effective. Injecting tiny amounts of a deadly poison into spasmed back muscles and slathering a cream made from habanero chili peppers can bring relief from back pain.
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What to Expect
Botulinum toxin type A is the type typically used for back injections
Botulinum toxin type A is in the FDA pregnancy category C – it’s unknown whether it’s harmful to unborn babies. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant before having an injection
Avoid other prescription or over-the-counter medications, including herbal medications. Consult your doctor if you are on medication
Do not use Botox is you suffer from a neuromuscular disorder such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), myasthenia gravis, and Lambert-Eaton syndrome
Possible side effects to Botox include difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives
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It turns out that Botulism toxin, more commonly known as Botox, is not just good for crow’s feet and furrowed brows. When injected into the five muscles along the spine, Botox can reduce back pain by 50 percent in the majority of people. Why Botox works on back pain remains somewhat of a mystery to researchers. A study published in the 2004 January American Journal of Pain Management looked at 25 patients with chronic neck and upper back pain who had three months of relief after a single round of Botox injections. The study suggests that Botox may block certain pain-promoting proteins in the body. An earlier study speculated that Botox helps in the rehabilitation process by allowing muscles weakened by spasms to relax enough to start healing.
Botox injections have an advantage over oral pain medications because there are no side effects such as fatigue and dizziness. The effects are limited to the area where the injection has been done. “Botox has a lot of potential and has been used in many different areas. Doctors have had 12 years experience with this medication and it has very little serious side effects,” said Bahman Jabbari, MD, Professor at the Clinical Faculty in the Movement Disorders Group, Yale University School of Medicine. “You don't want to inject too much and make muscles weak, but in reasonable doses it can relieve muscle pain.”
Sadly, like wrinkles, back pain does return after three to four months, although some people had relief for up to six months. But results are still not consistent as pointed out in a September 2005 study published by Martin K Childers, DO, PhD, Director of Research, Associate Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Missouri, Columbia, School of Medicine. Childers concluded that Botox injections for relief of back pain remain hit and miss since there “was no consistent efficacy under all circumstance.” He recommended that more research and studies be conducted.
Another unlikely source of back pain relief is found in the kitchen. If you have ever bitten into a habanero chili you will remember the instant sensation of fire and pain. The chemical responsible for those watering eyes and burnt lips is capsaicin (pronounced cap-SAY-sin). In 1997, scientists at the University of California at San Francisco discovered a gene for the capsaicin receptor. These vanilloid receptors talk to other neuron receptors to relay pain signals to the brain. Without these receptors we wouldn’t be able to feel hot burning pain. In its cream form, capsaicin cream actually interferes with the pain transmissions to the brain by reducing substance P, a receptor in nerve endings that helps to delivering the “ouch” signal. The cream is available as a prescription or over-the-counter.
Both treatments are welcome news to millions of American men and women suffering from constant back pain. Ninety percent of adults can expect to experience some back pain at some point or another in their lives and treatment for long term back pain has peaked at $50 million. Typical treatments include muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatory medications, antidepressants, surgeries and even alternative approaches such as acupuncture or magnet therapy. Botox and capsaicin can now be added to the list.
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