Scientists have discovered that certain brain areas responsible for facial movements may reorganize after Botox injection combined with facial exercises.

Bell´s palsy is a disorder that causes facial muscles to weaken or become paralyzed due to trauma to the cranial nerve and sometimes associated with pregnancy or a virus infection. Until recently, its cause was unknown in most cases, but it has now been related to Lyme disease and Herpes simplex. This condition is not permanent but can strike anyone at anytime. Older people are more likely to suffer from Bell´s palsy although children can have this conditions as well but they tend to recover well from it. It was described by a Scottish surgeon Charles Bell, 200 years ago.

Researchers found that the injection of Botox significantly reduced facial drooping and improved control functions. These changes were associated with changes in brain activity in the affected motor cortex and in brain organization to adapt the portion of the brain controlling facial movements.

Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/72508.php

Scientists at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center reported that they found a technique that helps reduce migraine attacks from up to three episodes a week down to one every couple of months.

Botox is used to pinpoint particular muscles in the forehead, back of head or temples which often triggers for migraines when they irritate, trap nerves or compress. Botox freezes the muscle so they no longer compress or irritate the nerve preventing the migraine or lessening its intense.

The procedure is hit and miss. The surgeon will inject Botox into one muscle at a time and leave the patient for a couple of days to see if it had any effect. If the Botox had an effect the surgeon knows that he had targeted the right muscle. But if the patient keeps having migraines the surgeon knows that he had targeted the wrong muscle and will inject Botox into another different muscle.

Source: www.cosmeticsurgerybible.com/2007/news/botox-helps-in-the-fight-against-migraines/