If you have been diagnosed with migraine and get headaches often, you may ask if there’s anything you can do to prevent them.
OnabotulinumtoxinA, or Botox, was approved in 2010 for people who get chronic migraines. That means you have a history of migraine headaches, headaches (including tension-type) on most days of the month that last 4 hours a day or longer.
What Is Botox?
Botox is a neurotoxin, a poison made by bacteria known as Clostridium botulinum. It can cause a life-threatening reaction called botulism if you eat it in food because it blocks signals from your nerves and paralyzes your own muscles.
But it’s safe because the toxin is not digested in your stomach and the dose is a lot smaller amount than you’d get in food.
Doctors found that shots of Botox may help smooth wrinkles because it relaxes muscles in the facial area. It also helps people who have tics because of a nerve disease like cerebral palsy.
When people who had migraine headaches used Botox to treat their facial wrinkles, they told their doctors that their headaches were improved. So scientists began to study it as a migraine pain treatment.
Does Botox Work for Migraine Headaches?
In a study of adults who get migraine headaches, shots of Botox decreased the total number of days they had them or even other types of headaches. They also had more pain-free days each month, and they reported fewer days off work.
In another study, almost half the people who took two rounds of Botox shots reported that the number of days they had a headache each month was now half the usual number. After five rounds of treatment, that jumped up to about 70% of the people.
Scientists think Botox works for migraine headaches because it blocks neurotransmitters that carry pain signals from your brain. Botox blocks that pathway. It stops the chemicals from getting to the nerve endings around your head and neck.
Botox Treatment
You’ll get multiple shots of Botox around your head and neck once every twelve weeks to dull or prevent migraine headaches.
You may need 30 to 40 shots, and you’ll get the same number on each side of your head. If you have migraine pain in a specific spot, you may need more shots there. You could see results two to three weeks after the first treatment.
You should only get this type of Botox treatment from a doctor who is trained to give it for chronic migraine headaches rather than for wrinkles or other cosmetic uses.
Side Effects
Neck pain and headache are the most common side effects for patients who get chronic migraine headaches and use Botox.
You can also have an allergic reaction to Botox. Signs of this can be hives, shortness of breath, or swelling in your legs. Although there’s no official case where Botox spread to other parts of the body, it is possible.
If you are suffering from migraines contact us today for a free consultation and find out if Botox can help you!
DR V’S QUEENS BOTOX, FILLERS, HYDRAFACIAL & IV THERAPY MED-SPA 106-15 QUEENS BLVD #B15, QUEENS, NY 11375 (917) 789-6963 HTTPS://MYMDSPA.COM/
Dr. V.A M.D Botox Injection Treatments 106-15 Queens Blvd Ste 7, Forest Hills, NY 11375 (718) 268-2088 https://drbotoxny.com/
