Therapeutic uses of botulinum toxin injection 

Cosmetic use

Hyperkinetic facial lines (glabellar frown lines, crow's feet)

Hypertrophic platysma muscle bands

Sweating, salivary, and allergy disorders

Axillary and palmar hyperhidrosis

effective and safe for treating cervical dystonia. This injection benefits the highest percentage of patients in the shortest time and has been proven effective in many double-blind, placebo-controlled trials.

Complications

Neck weakness, dysphagia, and local pain at the injection site are the most commonly reported side effects. Other adverse effects (eg, local hematoma, generalized fatigue, lethargy, dizziness, dry mouth, dysphonia, flulike syndrome, pain in neighboring muscles) also have been reported.

Most studies have reported side effects in 20-30% of patients per treatment cycle. The incidence of adverse effects varies based on the dosage used (ie, the higher the dose, the more frequent the adverse effects); however,reported that incidence of complications was not related to the total dose of BoNT used. Women and patients who received injections into the sternocleidomastoid muscles had significantly higher rates of complications.

Dysphagia has been the most prevalent significant complication and most probably is related to diffusion of the toxin into nearby pharyngeal muscles. In the study by Comella and colleagues, 33% of patients receiving their first dose of botulinum toxin experienced dysphagia. This complication most commonly occurs with injections of the sternocleidomastoid and can be reduced significantly when the dose of toxin administered is 100 U or less.