Arthritis Shots

Thousands of people worldwide are turning to Botox to halt the signs of aging. But did you know that this cosmetic procedure may also fight against arthritis?

That is a small preliminary study is telling us and the doctors are already excited about it. In this study, patients with osteoarthritis who received Botox injections reported a 50 percent or more improvement in pain in the knee. If further studies can repeat these results, it will not be long before the Botox is the next miracle cure arthritis.

"It works very well. We have patients where the pain is for three months, or it could be up to six months," said Dr. Gordon Ko, one of the investigators.

Ko has been administering Botox injections for arthritis patients who do not respond to conventional drugs. The drug is injected into the gap between common and results have been promising.

The pioneering study lasted six months and involved 37 patients with moderate to severe pain due to knee osteoarthritis. The participants (36 men and one woman) received either 100 units of Botox with lidocaine (anesthetic short-acting) or saline placebo with lidocaine.

They were analyzed after one month, three months and six months. Their pain and their ability to move were measured during these periods. After one month, two patients in the placebo group dropped out due to lack of interest. Of the 18 patients in severe pain group (half on Botox and the other half placebo), there was a significant decrease in pain and improvement in physical function for those who received Botox shots. The placebo group reported a slight improvement.

The doctors are hoping to replicate these findings in other studies, but patients are already convinced that Botox works for arthritis. One patient, Jenny Breen, had every reason to be grateful. She claims the injections have changed his life.

"If I had to give up my Botox, I do not think I could live. My quality of life would go straight down. I know for me personally, it changed my life and made a big difference," she CTV News.

Although Botox is expensive, the shots are considered ideal for arthritis patients who can not undergo knee surgery because of old age or frailty. Since Botox is injected directly into the joint, it does not cause stomach bleeding, hypertension, and other side effects of other traditional pain relievers.

"If Botox injections for refractory joint pain continue to be beneficial, they provide a very welcome solution for fragile patients. Local joint treatment with Botox injections could replace oral medications that carry the risk of side effects systemic, and injections of Botox may cancel or delay the need for joint surgery, said Dr. Maren L. Mahowald, the section head of rheumatology at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center and principal investigator of the study Botox.

While we expect further good news for researchers Botox, you can stop arthritis pain with a little help from Flexcerin. This powerful supplement rebuilt, lubricates, and soothes sore and swollen joints, without the side effects of other prescription painkillers. Check http://www.flexcerin.com for more details.