Guidelines Updated: Botulinum toxin for spasticity, headache, other brain disorders
The updated guideline covers four neurologic disorders: spasticity in adults, which is muscle tightness that interferes with movement typically following a stroke, spinal cord or other neurologic injury; cervical dystonia, a disorder of the brain affecting neck muscle control that causes involuntary head tilt or neck movement; blepharospasm, a movement disorder that causes the eyes to close uncontrollably; and chronic and episodic migraine. Chronic migraine is defined as attacks that occur 15 or more days per month, with at least eight of those attacks having migraine features. In episodic migraine , attacks occur less often. Botulinum toxin is made by a certain type of bacteria. The drug works to block release of substances at nerve endings, which, from effects in different nerves, will lead to reduced muscle contraction and less transmission of pain signals. Four preparations of botulinum toxin are available in the United States, and they are not interchangeable. The guideline up...