The patients were polled them again 2 months later. By the third week nearly three-fourths of those who had had a shot of Botox said their pain had been cut in half. Only one-quarter of the placebo group reported the same amount of relief. Those who had pain in a specific area of their back seemed to do the best. The pain, however, eventually returns.
Any relief is better than none.
But Jabbari admits that a handful of happy patients does not prove that Botox is useful for back pain suffers. We need more research. Botox helps relax muscles, but experts still have no clear idea why it seems to combat chronic pain. Though side effects are rare, a careless doctor might give too high a dose, which could prove dangerous, Jabbari warns. Even so, many pain clinics already offer the popular toxin to those with aching backs, including Jabbari's own center.