Botulinum toxin injections, commonly known as Botox, are by far the most popular non-surgical cosmetic procedure on the market today, with 5.4 million procedures performed in 2010. Botox restores a youthful appearance to the face by temporarily paralyzing certain facial nerves so that other muscles are able to pull the skin tighter than before.

However, there are alternative uses for Botox that may surprise you, as its unique ability to paralyze muscles with simple injections has improved the lives of spinal migraine and cerebral palsy sufferers.

The Mayo Clinic recently discovered that Botox helped a woman suffering from a rare type of migraine when little else had worked over the course of 25 years. Low cerebrospinal fluid headaches are caused by spinal fluid leaks that cause the brain to sag within the skull. The pain caused by low cerebrospinal fluid headaches can range from slight to overwhelming, and many people who suffer from these migraines find that existing therapies don’t help. Lying down is often the only way that they have to feel better.

Botox was administered to numb the nerve after the woman and doctors had exhausted all their options, and to everyone’s surprise, she made a strong improvement. While the pain is not completely gone, it has largely subsided, and the patient finds it easier to live a normal life.

On the other side of the globe, Australian children living with cerebral palsy have been engaging in a highly successful Botox treatment program. The injections relax the leg muscles of cerebral palsy sufferers, allowing them to walk with supports, leading to a huge improvement in their quality of life. The injections have also proven useful in alleviating leg pains and cramping that afflict the children.