Tips for Family and Friends Caring for People with Upper Limb Spasticity
If you help care for someone with upper limb spasticity, it's important to make sure you take care of yourself as well. There are a number of resources available to help you do this, including the National Family Caregivers Association. Make sure that you take advantage of these resources and accept offers of help. The following are a few more tips to help you in your role caring for someone with upper limb spasticity:
- Caregiving is hard work. You need and SHOULD take a break when you can.
- Make sure to eat healthy, well-balanced meals.
- Get adequate sleep.
- It's normal to feel frustrated or sad at times. However, if these feelings are overwhelming, seek professional help.
- Find support groups for your loved one and yourself. Visiting the websites of the Open Arms educational campaign partners is a good place to start.
- If you work outside the home, talk to your employer about resources that may be available to you. It's estimated that less than 2 percent of employed caregivers take advantage of company benefits to help them in their role.1
- Be open to ideas that may help with increasing the independence of your loved one with certain hygiene activities. The good news about upper limb spasticity is that there are treatment options for this condition. Encourage your loved one to speak to a doctor about options best for them.
"Open Arms: Raising Awareness for Upper Limb Spasticity" Educational Campaign Advocacy Partners. Sponsors of the Open Arms educational campaign do not endorse any specific treatment for upper limb spasticity
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
BOTOX® is a prescription medicine that is injected into muscles and used to treat increased muscle stiffness in elbow, wrist, and finger muscles with upper limb spasticity in people 18 years and older.
It is not known whether BOTOX® is safe or effective for other types of muscle spasms.
BOTOX® may cause serious side effects that can be life threatening. Call your doctor or get medical help right away if you have any of these problems any time (hours to weeks) after injection of BOTOX®:
- Problems swallowing, speaking, or breathing, due to weakening of associated muscles, can be severe and result in loss of life. You are at the highest risk if these problems are pre-existing before injection. Swallowing problems may last for several months.
- Spread of toxin effects. The effect of botulinum toxin may affect areas away from the injection site and cause serious symptoms including: loss of strength and all-over muscle weakness, double vision, blurred vision and drooping eyelids, hoarseness or change or loss of voice (dysphonia), trouble saying words clearly (dysarthria), loss of bladder control, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing.
There has not been a confirmed serious case of spread of toxin effect away from the injection site when BOTOX® has been used at the recommended dose to treat severe underarm sweating, blepharospasm, or strabismus.
The dose of BOTOX® is not the same as, or comparable to, another botulinum toxin product.
Serious and or immediate allergic reactions have been reported. These reactions include itchy rash, swelling, and shortness of breath. Tell your doctor or get medical help right away if you experience any such symptoms, further injection of BOTOX® should be discontinued.
Do not take BOTOX® if you: are allergic to any of the ingredients in BOTOX® (see Medication Guide for ingredients); had an allergic reaction to any other botulinum toxin product such as Myobloc® or Dysport®; have a skin infection at the planned injection site.
Tell your doctor about all your muscle or nerve conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis [ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease], myasthenia gravis or Lambert-Eaton syndrome as you may be at increased risk of serious side effects including severe dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) and respiratory compromise (difficulty breathing) from typical doses of BOTOX®.
Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including if you have: plans to have surgery; had surgery on your face; weakness of forehead muscles, such as trouble raising your eyebrows; drooping eyelids; any other abnormal facial change; are pregnant or plan to become pregnant (It is not known if BOTOX® can harm your unborn baby); are breast-feeding or plan to breastfeed (It is not known if BOTOX® passes into breast milk).
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins and herbal products.
BOTOX® may cause loss of strength or general muscle weakness, or vision problems. If this happens, do not drive a car, operate machinery, or do other dangerous activities.
Other side effects of BOTOX® include: dry mouth, discomfort or pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, neck pain, and eye problems: double vision, blurred vision, decreased eyesight, drooping eyelids, swelling of your eyelids, and dry eyes.
For more information refer to the Medication Guide or talk with your doctor.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see full Product Information, including Medication Guide for BOTOX®.
- National Family Caregivers Association website. Reach Out for Help. Available at: http://www.thefamilycaregiver.org/improving_caregiving/reach_out_for_help.cfm. Accessed 5/10/10