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What is botulinum toxin used to treat?

Medically reviewed by Judith Stewart, BPharm. Last updated on Oct 30, 2024.

What is botulinum toxin? What are the uses of the FDA approved botulinum toxin products?

Official answer

by Drugs.com

Botulinum toxin is used in the treatment of overactive bladder, urinary incontinence, chronic migraines, spasticity (contractions causing muscle stiffness), cervical dystonia (neck muscles contracting involuntarily), severe underarm sweating, eyelid spasms, crossed eyes, and drooling. It is also used for the treatment of facial lines and wrinkles.

What is botulinum toxin?
Botulinum toxin is a neurotoxin produced by Clostridium botulinum, the bacteria that causes botulism. The botulinum toxin was found to cause muscle paralysis in the body, and over time this led to the discovery and development of the pharmaceutical products we have available today.

What are the uses of the FDA approved botulinum toxin products?

Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA) for injection

  • overactive bladder
  • urinary incontinence
  • pediatric neurogenic detrusor overactivity
  • chronic migraine
  • spasticity
  • cervical dystonia
  • severe axillary hyperhidrosis (underarm sweating)
  • blepharospasm (spasm of the eyelids)
  • strabismus (crossed eyes)

Botox Cosmetic (onabotulinumtoxinA) for injection

  • glabellar lines (frown lines)
  • lateral canthal lines (crow's feet)
  • forehead lines
  • platysma bands

Myobloc (rimabotulinumtoxinB) Injection

  • cervical dystonia
  • chronic sialorrhea (excessive drooling)

Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA) for Injection

  • cervical dystonia
  • glabellar lines (frown lines)
  • spasticity

Xeomin (incobotulinumtoxinA) for Injection

  • chronic sialorrhea (excessive drooling)
  • upper limb spasticity
  • cervical dystonia
  • blepharospasm
  • upper facial lines, including glabellar lines (frown lines), forehead lines and crow’s feet

Jeuveau (prabotulinumtoxinA-xvfs) for Injection

  • glabellar lines (frown lines)

Daxxify (daxibotulinumtoxinA-lanm) for Injection

  • glabellar lines (frown lines)
  • cervical dystonia

Letybo (letibotulinumtoxinA-wlbg) for Injection

  • glabellar lines (frown lines)

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