A novel study says that Botox used to smooth wrinkles might help ease certain symptoms of asthma. Botox contain botulinum toxin that is a protein generated by bacteria Clostridium botulinum. The researchers believe that works by blocking nerve signals to the muscles consequently soothing them.
The Monash Medical Centre in Australia says that the drug will be tested on asthmatic patients who also suffer problems with their voice box, which can go into spasm. The idea behind the trail is that the Botox by relaxing the muscles, which control the voice box, perhaps makes breathing easier for these patients.
People suffering from vocal cord dysfunction and people suffering asthma have analogous symptoms, so it can be hard to differentiate between the two. Anywhere between twenty and sixty percent of asthma patients have been found to also have vocal cord problems. Vocal cord dysfunction is a condition characterized by abnormal movement of the voice box muscle.
Botox has been used in some cases to treat people who suffer from vocal cord dysfunction. But it is not clear that patients with asthma and voice box problems would respond in the same way to the treatment, explained Dr. John Mastronarde, director of the Ohio State Asthma Center. The vocal cord problems make asthma symptoms worse.
According to Dr. Shirin Shafazand, an assistant professor of medicine from the University Of Miami Miller School Of Medicine, the voice box can be thought of as a door to the windpipe. If that door is not working properly, or is closed when it should be open, a patient would have problems breathing.
Several studies have shown patients with asthma and voice box problems recognize their symptoms as more severe, added Dr Shafazand. Voice box problems might also trigger asthma symptoms. Stress is known to worsen asthma symptoms. Someone breathing problem due to voice box spasms, may experience anxiety and set off asthma, stated Dr. Mastronarde.
The drug is a toxin and the researchers need to be careful while using it because it can paralyze the voice box muscles completely, they should be aware about the risk of using the drug. It remains to be seen whether this treatment will work, added Dr Shafazand.