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In women with chronic pelvic pain due to pelvic floor spasms, Botox injections seem to reduce pressure and relieve some of the pain, according to a new study.
Pelvic floor spasms occur when muscles in the pelvis contract tightly and unexpectedly.
In addition to the distressing pain that typically occurs, affected women can experience urinary problems, pain during intercourse, and sensations of pressure or heaviness in the lower abdomen.
Dr. Jason A. Abbott, from the Royal Hospital for Women in Randwick, Australia, and colleagues had previously reported a pilot study in which Botox (botulinum toxin type A) injections reduced pelvic floor pressure and sometimes relieved pain in women with pelvic pain due to muscle spasm.
In their current study, reported in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, Abbott and his team compared the outcomes of 30 women with spasm-related pain for at least 2 years who were randomly assigned to receive
Botox or inactive "placebo" injections.
Four injections of the assigned agent were made into pelvic floor muscles.
Compared with placebo, Botox treatment was associated with a significant reduction in pelvic pain at 26-week follow-up.
Both groups experienced reductions in pain during intercourse and in pelvic floor pressure, although the difference was greater in the Botox group.
There was also evidence that Botox provided greater improvements in quality of life.
Abbott's team concludes that, "for women who are unresponsive to conservative treatment, (Botox) is an effective treatment for reducing pelvic floor pressure and associated pain symptoms."
