Botulinum toxin intramuscular injections for neck pain: a systematic review and metaanalysis.

Summary: If you suffer from chronic neck pain or whiplash, you might have heard of using Botox injections—famous for smoothing wrinkles—to relax stiff muscles. However, a comprehensive review of 14 medical trials suggests this treatment might not be worth the cost or the needle poke. Researchers found that Botox injections provided no more pain relief or improvement in movement than a simple saltwater placebo shot. While combining Botox with exercise showed a tiny hint of promise in very weak studies, the strong evidence says Botox alone isn't the cure for a pain in the neck.