DCU research is fighting chronic pain
04 August 2016
Botox Fighting chronic pain
Many know botulinum toxin as the cosmetic chemical Botox, but it turns out this compound can also be used to fight chronic pain. Prof Oliver Dolly (inset), from DCU, has developed a new variant of the toxin that can efficiently block the release of pain mediators, providing relief. The idea of using the toxin for pain treatment arose when Botox patients reported relief from migraines. Prof Dolly and his team went on to tweak the molecule to obtain a new chemical that can block pain transmission more effectively. The new molecule works particularly well on pain that has been caused by inflammation or nerve damage. In the case of nerve damage, the nerves become hyperresponsive, continually signalling for pain. The new molecule is a lot better than standard painkillers to treat this type of pain, he says. It can also be injected locally, directly into the painful region.