2 months ago
HERNDON, Va. (WUSA) -- Botox, the popular drug used to help smooth out wrinkles, has a new use-helping some patients avoid painful surgeries and long recovery times.
Danielle Pietrangelo was in constant pain after a driver slammed high-speed into the back of her stopped car.
"I was on pain meds for seven months every day," she said. "I had to take pain medication to work. I had to take pain medication to think. The pain was unbelievable."
After many trips to different doctors and still no relief, Danielle decided to do some searching on her own. She found Dr. Paul Christo, a pain specialist at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.
Dr. Christo discovered that whiplash from the accident had given her thoratic outlet syndrome, or TOS, a nerve compression disorder that left her helpless and hurting.
"This particular syndrome can cause a significant amount of pain down the arm, in the back," he said. "It can cause headaches and weakness in the arm."
But even though she was in pain, Danielle, a single mother, didn't want surgery.
"I work full-time. I'm out and about," Danielle said. "I need to get things done. And I'm totally dependent on only myself."
Dr. Christo suggested Botox as an alternative to surgery. A new study done at John Hopkins shows the popular wrinkle relaxer can also be used to relax muscles and decrease tension-both symptoms of TOS.
"A small amount of Botox into the anterior scalene muscle significantly reduced pain in those patients who have the syndrome," Dr. Christo said. "It also demonstrated that those patients had an increase in their ability to do basic activities of daily living, so it improved their quality of life."
The procedure requires almost no recovery time, and it's all done in a matter of minutes. Danielle decided to give it a shot.
According to Danielle, the relief was immediate. She has had three Botox shots so far-two injections on her left side and one on her right side-and couldn't be happier with the results.
"I love gardening," she said. "I can still do gardening. The Botox has allowed me to be able to do these things."
The injections last about four months-just like the injections used for facial wrinkles. And also like Botox for cosmetic purposes, patients can receive multiple injections over time.
Researchers at John Hopkins are now working on a study that compares patients with TOS who get Botox and those who have surgery to see which treatment leads to a better quality of life.
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