The popular injectable wrinkle remedy Botox, like every other medicine, has side effects.
These side effects are undesirable results that could occur along with the benefits that Botox injections offer.
The operational word is "could".
That's because not all who undergo Botox treatment suffer from side effects; most of those who get Botox injections do not experience any adverse effects at all.
Although the chances of experiencing side effects from Botox treatments are minimal, it would be very useful to know what the Botox side effects are.
These side effects were identified through the analysis of the results of thorough clinical studies in which the condition of a control group not taking Botox was compared to that of a group undergoing Botox treatment.
It has been found that Botox treatments have a 3 percent probability of causing droopy eyelids and nausea, a 2 percent probability for muscle weakness and facial pain, and 1 percent for hypertension, tooth problems, indigestion and heartburn.
These were established in clinical studies on the use Botox for cosmetic purposes such as in diminishing the occurrence of facial lines and wrinkles.
Studies also show that in about 11 to 21 percent of patients being treated with Botox for certain medical conditions such as hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), cervical dystonia, blepharospasm (eyelid spasms), and strabismus (crossed eyes), the commonly observed Botox side effects include misalignment or vertical deviations of the eyes, difficulty in swallowing, upper respiratory infections, neck pain, droopy eyelids, and headache.
2 to 10 percent of those being treated with Botox for medical or cosmetic purposes also experience other common Botox side effects.
These side effects include back pain, flu-like symptoms such as chills and fever, drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, bleeding at the injection site, infection, soreness at the injection site, sore throat, dry mouth, cough, runny or stuffy nose, and anxiety.
If you experience chest pain, double vision, speech problems, dry eyes (if being treated for muscle spasms near the eyes), and allergic reactions (such as difficulty in breathing or swallowing, unexplained rashes, itching, hives, unexplained swelling, and wheezing) while undergoing Botox treatments, these should be reported to your doctor at once.
This is because such Botox side effects are potentially serious.
While undergoing Botox treatments, there will be times when you have symptoms for which the exact cause can be difficult to tell.
These symptoms may or may not be Botox side effects.
The best thing to do if you feel or see anything unusual is to consult your physician.
Not only will your physician determine the cause, he will treat the condition as well.
Botox treatments certainly offer a lot of benefits to its users.
But along with those benefits are disadvantages.
It is important that you be able to recognize Botox side effects and know what course of action to follow if you suffer from them.