MONDAY, May 10, 2004 (HealthDayNews) -- Some say botox will keep your face looking young, but evidence continues to grow that it will keep your bladder fit as well.
Botox injections have become a promising new treatment for a variety of lower urinary tract dysfunctions, according to a study presented May 9 at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association in San Francisco.
Dr. Michael Chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine has used botox since 1998 to treat 110 patients suffering a variety of bladder dysfunctions. The dysfunction cause all of them to experience incontinence, unable to hold their urine or completely empty their bladders.
About 67 percent of the patients reported a decrease or absence of incontinence after receiving the botox injections, Chancellor said. The decrease happened within seven days of treatment and lasted about six months.
Treatment involves injecting botox into the muscle that controls the bladder. The botox weakens the muscle and alleviates involuntary contractions, restoring normal bladder function.
More information
The National Institutes of Health has more about bladder dysfunction.
