In recent years, you may have also heard about the many different ways Botox can help not just cosmetically but medically as well (think migraines). A new study from the University of California San Diego has found a new use for the injection – reducing anxiety.
The study found that those receiving Botox injections at four different sites saw their anxiety levels decreased significantly. Ruben Abagya, Ph.D., one of the university’s professors of pharmacy, notes, “A large number of diverse adverse effects are being reported to the FDA and the main objective usually is to find those harmful side effects that had not been identified during clinical trials…However, our idea was different. Why don’t we do the opposite? Why don’t we find beneficial effects?”
Abagyan and his team discovered that the risk for anxiety in people treated was 22 to 72 percent lower in those that received Botox than those that didn’t. Injection sites included facial muscles, head muscles, upper and lower limbs, and neck muscles.
According to the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (government entity responsible for household surveys for the prevalence and correlates of mental health disorders within the United States), anxiety is the most common psychiatric disorder. While more research needs to be done to determine how exactly Botox reduces anxiety, it’s certainly promising.
Original article: https://health.ucsd.edu/news/releases/Pages/2021-12-21-botox-injections-may-reduce-anxiety.aspx
Family medicine Miami offers Botox, along with platelet rich plasma therapy in Miami. Visit us online to learn more!