Can Botox® Help with Endometriosis? New Treatment Options

To some, it may seem strange to consider Botox® for endometriosis. We’re used to hearing about Botox as a facial filler, something estheticians use to smooth out crow’s feet and laugh lines. However, groundbreaking research has allowed us to expand our endometriosis treatment options to include this popular cosmetic resource.

At Endometriosis Treatment Center of America, we specialize in the expert excision of endometriosis. However, we don’t stop there. We provide personalized maintenance plans for each of our patients, many of which include Botox injections to help relieve pelvic floor muscle spasms.

These injections are a safe and effective way to maintain control over the painful symptoms of endometriosis. Interested in learning more? We’ve created this guide to help you understand this quick and easy in-office procedure.

How Does Botox for Endometriosis Work?

Botox is the brand name for a drug made from a substance called botulinum toxin, which blocks nerve signals between muscles and the brain. In essence, Botox “freezes” muscles, stopping them from contracting and spasming. That’s why it’s used to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. But how does it work as a treatment for endometriosis?

Women with endometriosis tend to experience chronic pelvic pain, which is often caused by spasms in the pelvic floor muscles. When we inject Botox into those muscles, the nerve can’t “tell” them to contract. Simply by interrupting those lines of communication between muscle and brain, we can help alleviate or even eliminate endometriosis pain.

Is Botox Safe and Effective for Endometriosis Pain?

Using Botox to treat endometriosis is a relatively new procedure, first gaining attention with clinical trials in the early 2000s. Since then, more and more evidence has shown not only that pelvic floor muscle spasms are a major contributor to endometriosis pain, but that Botox injections can provide meaningful pain relief.

Botox is FDA-approved for gynecologic and urologic treatments, demonstrating that this method has the U.S. government’s full confidence. This therapy is effective in treating not only pelvic pain but also overactive bladder, urinary incontinence, and more. It has given many women back their ability to get active, enjoy intimacy, and improve their mental health.

Who is a Good Candidate for Botox Injections at ETCOA?

Though robotic excision of endometriosis is the most innovative and effective treatment available today, some women continue to have pelvic pain after surgery. For those women especially, we tend to recommend Botox injections as part of an ongoing pain management plan.

Women with chronic pelvic pain that results from pelvic floor spasms are generally great candidates for Botox Injections, especially if they have exhausted other options. To determine if your pelvic pain results from spasms, we will perform a comprehensive exam.

Even if we don’t diagnose endometriosis, we have a range of treatment options available to you. We won’t stop until we find the right therapy, pain medications, or surgery for your unique situation.

How Long Does Pelvic Floor Botox Last?

Within 3–7 days of your Botox injections, the muscles in your pelvic floor will gradually begin relaxing. That’s when the relief begins! Though cosmetic Botox treatments need to be repeated every 3 months, we find that many of our patients experience endometriosis pain relief for 6 months to a year before needing to return for follow-up treatment.

In the meantime, we’ll monitor your symptoms closely so we can make sure we space out your treatments appropriately and target the right muscles to give you lasting relief.

Explore Your Options with Endometriosis Treatment Center of America

Pelvic pain, whether caused by endometriosis or another condition, can be life-altering. We understand how frustrating it can be to find the right doctor and the right treatment. At Endometriosis Treatment Center of America, we’re here to listen.

If you’ve undergone surgery for endometriosis and are still experiencing pelvic pain, don’t despair. There are still plenty of treatment avenues open to you to enjoy your life with comfort and peace. Let us help you start that journey by giving us a call or contacting us online today.

For our Lake Orion, MI, location, call (248) 609-6040. For our Birmingham, MI, location, call (248) 731-2155.

Endometriosis Treatment Center of America: Compassionate Women’s Health in Michigan and Beyond

At the Endometriosis Treatment Center of America, our commitment is to provide compassionate care for all. Our expert team is here to provide the highest level of care from our state-of-the-art facilities in Lake Orion and Birmingham, MI. Whether you reside in Michigan or are seeking answers from out of state, you deserve to be heard. Request an appointment today for your first consultation and comprehensive exam!