Many people have heard about using Botox for cosmetic use in eliminating wrinkles in your face, but did you know that Botox has been used for managing muscle pain longer than it has been used for erasing wrinkles?

Well, remember when your Grandmother told you to go down to the basement and get a can of green beans? She also told you not to eat a can of green beans that the lid was pushed up on because the beans may have been contaminated by a bacteria called Botulism and the can would contain botulism toxin that, if eaten, could very well cause your demise.

The scientists at a company called Allergan have taken this same poison and made it safe to use for muscle spasms. It does this in a much weaker way than the same poison in the spoiled green beans. Basically, it affects the motor end plate of the muscle and causes a slight paralysis of the muscle, eliminating the pain usually in less then 24 hours -- generally a lot quicker.

Rather than writing an article about how Botox works, we thought it might be more informative to interview some patients who have had Botox injections. We have brought in two patients who get Botox injections every three months.

Reporter: Katie, what kind of pain did you have

Katie: I actually have two kinds of pain, and they both feel very different. One kind of pain burns. This is nerve pain, and the other kind of pain aches very deeply. This is muscle pain. (Note: all pain is transmitted by the nerves, but when the nerve itself is damaged, the pain is described as burning.)

Reporter: What kind of pain does the Botox help with?

Katie: Botox helps with the muscle pain.

Reporter: Katie, what kind of treatments for pain did you have before the Botox?

Katie: I had tried Physical Therapy, medication for sleep and inflammation, an oral splint (which I still use at night), and about 2 years ago I was referred to a pain clinic, and they gave me methadone. The methadone did not eliminate the pain, but it made it tolerable so that I could work.

Reporter: Since you have had the Botox, how has your pain been and what medications have you been on?

Katie: After the Botox injections, I do not take the methadone. I don't need it. I have no muscle pain.

Reporter: How long does the Botox last?

Katie: About 3 months, then I have to have another round of Botox injection.

Reporter: Do the Botox injections hurt?

Katie: They hurt about like any shot, but the relief to be out of pain is so good that the 5 minuets that it takes to get the Botox is like nothing.

Reporter: Is the Botox expensive?

Katie: I spend about as much on Botox as I did on co-pays for doctor visits and pain medicine. However, with the Botox, I don't miss work.

Reporter: Will you continue getting the Botox injections?

Katie: YES. With the Botox I have a life... a life in constant pain is hell. You cannot enjoy your family, work, vacations. Everything, even pleasurable things are a chore. Life with pain is no fun... life without pain is great!

Editorial Note: Botox for pain is recognized as a legitimate and successful treatment for chronic muscle pain after other methods of treatment have failed. Many insurance companies, even Medicare, will now pay for Botox or Myobloc. It is still best to preauthorize Botox or Myobloc injections before they are given, as the injections can cost $500.00 and up, depending how much medication is needed.