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Botox
injections, the popular treatment for facial wrinkles, may
be the newest treatment for overactive bladder, according
to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
"Bladder
dysfunction affects a staggering number of people worldwide,"
said Dr. Michael Chancellor, professor of urology and gynecology.
"The use of botox injections can offer many of these
patients a safe, but temporary, solution to this embarrassing
problem."
In the
study, botox was injected into the urethra or bladder of 50
patients suffering from a variety of conditions -- including
multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, stroke, overactive
bladder and interstitial cystitis -- who all experienced involuntary
bladder contractions.
Eighty-two
percent of the patients reported a decrease or absence of
incontinence after getting the botox injections. The decrease
was seen within seven days and symptoms were alleviated for
about six months. None of the patients had long-term complications,
according to the study presented at the American Urological
Association annual meeting.
Botox
binds to the nerve endings of the muscles, blocking the release
of the chemical that causes the muscle to contract.
Source:
Medical Week staff,
week of May 26, 2002
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