Botulism

To diagnose botulism, your health care provider checks you for muscle weakness or paralysis. Your provider looks for symptoms such as drooping eyelids and a weak voice. Your provider asks about foods you've eaten in the past few days. They try to find out if you were exposed to any bacteria through a wound.

In cases of possible infant botulism, the provider may ask if your child has eaten honey recently. The provider may also ask if your infant has constipation or has been less active than usual.

Analysis of blood, stool, or vomit for evidence of the toxin may help confirm a diagnosis of infant or foodborne botulism. But getting these test results may take days. So the provider's exam is the main way to diagnose botulism.

For cases of foodborne botulism, health care providers sometimes clear out the digestive system by causing vomiting and giving drugs to help you move your bowels. If you have wound botulism, a provider may need to remove infected tissue in a surgery.

Symptoms related to injections of botulinum toxin for cosmetic or medical reasons usually improve as the toxin is absorbed by the body.

Antitoxin

If you're diagnosed early with foodborne or wound botulism, injected antitoxin lowers the risk of complications. The antitoxin attaches itself to toxin that's moving through your bloodstream and keeps it from harming your nerves.

The antitoxin can't reverse damage that's already been done. But nerves can repair themselves. Many people recover fully. But recovery may take months and typically involves extended rehabilitation therapy.

A different type of antitoxin, known as botulism immune globulin, is used to treat infants.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics are recommended for the treatment of wound botulism. These drugs aren't used for other forms of botulism because they can speed up the release of toxins.

Breathing assistance

If you're having trouble breathing, you probably need a mechanical ventilator for up to several weeks while your body fights the toxin's effects. The ventilator forces air into your lungs through a tube inserted in your airway through your nose or mouth.

Rehabilitation

As you recover, you may also need therapy to improve your speech, swallowing and other functions affected by botulism.