Many people suffering from Gastroparesis can now find relief of their symptoms through the use of Botox injections Miami. Gastroparesis is a serious stomach issue that until recently, has been treated with prescription drugs and surgery. Sufferers often just learn to live with their symptoms because drug treatment can have adverse side effects on other parts f the body and surgery is too invasive. Now, with furthering research indicating that Botox injections could curb Gastroparesis symptoms for extended periods, sufferers have another safer, effective option.
What is Gastroparesis?
When someone suffers from Gastroparesis, food fails to move as it should from the stomach to the small intestine. This back-up of food causes a host of symptoms including pain, bloating, nausea and vomiting.
The Vagus Nerve, responsible for moving food through the digestive tract, is the main culprit in Gastroparesis. Most commonly, people with diabetes suffer Gastroparesis because their high blood sugar levels cause chemical changes in the body that damage the Vagus Nerve and the muscles of the digestive tract causing food to pass slowly or not at all through the intestines.
In the past, Gastroparesis was treated with a variety of methods including oral medications, dietary changes, implantation of a feeding tube to give the stomach a break, parenteral feeding through a chest tube to bypass the digestive tract altogether, surgically-implanted devices that give off electric shocks to stimulate the Vegus Nerve or surgery to widen the opening from the stomach into the small intestine. Each of these methods carries a risk of adverse side effects in one form or another.
A Better Way: Miami Botox Injections
Miami Botox injections are most commonly known for their ability to erase fine lines and wrinkles on the skin. More recently though, it has made a name for itself in the medical field because it helps treat a variety of ailments resulting from nerve and muscle damage. Because Botox is so effective at relieving pain and reducing muscle spasms, it is the perfect solution for Gastroparesis.
How Botox Relieves Gastroparesis Symptoms
While not a fix for every Gastroparesis sufferer, Botox does provide measurable relief of symptoms for many patients. The procedure is conducted in much the same way as an upper endoscopy in that the patient is sedated the entire time. The Botox injection doctor Miami places the shot directly into the Pyloric Sphincter, which is the opening at the bottom of the stomach that food passes through into the small intestine. The injection paralyzes the Pyloric Sphincter so it relaxes and allows food to pass easily. In doing so, it also stops the Vagus Nerve from sending mixed messages to the brain, stopping muscle spasms. The effects of the procedure last anywhere from three to four months; at which time, the patient may repeat the procedure for further relief.
After your Miami Botox Injections
After Miami Botox injections, patients are a bit groggy from the IV sedation medication. This is normal, and the sedation wears off rather quickly while recovering in a holding area. Once fluids can be tolerated, patients are discharged into the care of a family member. Unfortunately, driving is prohibited for about 24 hours. Other than that, there is no real restrictions once the procedure is complete.
Patients might feel immediate relief from their Gastroparesis symptoms. For some, it might take a little while for the Botox to take effect. Mild side effects reported include nausea and/or vomiting from the sedative, and rarer side effects include esophagus perforation, fever and severe vomiting. We’d like to remind patients that Botox injections Miami are not a permanent solution or a cure for Gastroparesis. They simply provide extended relief from the symptoms.
More Information on Miami Botox Injections
Here at the Plastic Surgery Institute Miami, we strive to provide you with every opportunity to look and feel your best. This includes helping you achieve relief from your Gastroparesis symptoms. There’s no need to settle for a treatment that has adverse side effects or is so invasive it carries severe risk of infection. Miami Botox injections are a safer, effective solution for Gastroparesis patients who fail to find relief from the symptoms by other means. Call us today for more information.