If
a salesman told you a single drug could cure headaches,
obesity, sore muscles and
even body odor, all for the low, low price of $300, you’d
probably think he was selling snake oil. But many scientists
now say there’s a drug that does all that and more — Botox.
The poison that erases wrinkles may be an effective therapy
for many of life’s other bodily indignities. Doctors
are administering it for a wide range of ailments it isn’t
approved for (yet). “People said using Botox off-label
would be a waste of time,” says New York ear, nose
and throat doctor Andrew Blitzer. “But a lot more
patients are going to benefit.”
The most promising new use for Botox is
as a headache treatment. It’s unclear how Botulinum
toxin soothes an aching brain — it may inhibit the
nerves that transmit pain — but large studies confirm
that people get fewer headaches after being Botoxed. Blitzer
cites a
patient
whose migraines kept her from work four days a month, despite
conventional drug treatments. He injected Botox into her
forehead, and she hasn’t had a migraine since. The
drug also works for other chronic nonsinus headaches — doctors
simply inject it under the skin, near the pain.
Because Botox weakens muscles, it may
also be useful for treating disorders stemming from involuntary
muscle clenching, like stroke-induced paralysis, incontinence
caused by a spastic bladder and soreness and cramps. A few
doctors have injected it into gastric muscle to make obese
patients’ stomachs empty more slowly. The effect mirrors
that of bypass surgery: patients feel full longer and eat
less. Botox may even paralyze sweat glands, which offers
hope for
people with hyperhydrosis, or excessive, pathological sweating.
As trials get underway for these unorthodox treatments, doctors
are trying to convince insurers of their efficacy — and
safety. Though the long-term effects of off-label Botox use
are unknown, the toxin affects only the injected area, and
it wears off after a few months. If it’s safe, it may
really be a wonder drug.
© NEWSWEEK,
April 2, 2003
