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- Title
Botulinum toxin in the treatment of rare head and neck pain syndromes: a systematic review of the literature.
- Authors
Sycha, T; Kranz, G; Auff, E; Schnider, P
- Abstract
Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) is used to treat various neurological disorders associated with pathologically increased muscle tone. Botulinum toxin inhibits the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction thereby inhibiting striatal muscle contractions. Besides the reduction in muscle tone BoNT tends to reduce pain in pain syndromes associated with muscle spasm. In addition, BoNT has been proposed as an analgesic, suggesting alternative non-cholinergic mechanisms of action.Surprisingly, BoNT was reported as a potential treatment for tension-type headache and migraine-both primary headache syndromes without an apparent muscular component-however, varying responses to BoNT have been found, overall without sufficient evidence for a general treatment. In this systematic review we set out to clarify the efficacy and safety of BoNT in the treatment of rare head and neck pain syndromes (e. g. cervicogenic headache, chronic paroxysmal hemicrania, cluster headache, trigeminal neuralgia, temporomandibular disorders, cervical dystonia and whiplash injuries).
- Publication
Journal of neurology, 2004, Vol 251 Suppl 1, pI19
- ISSN
0340-5354
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00415-004-1106-8