Why botox for migraines

Headaches can cause pain in different parts of the head according to their cause. On the other hand, migraines often involve other symptoms aside from head pain. They may include dizziness, nausea, sensitivity to light or sound, as well as severe fatigue tiredness. Migraines may occur in different phases, which may involve symptoms and signs like blurred vision, mood disturbances, and trouble with speech.

During your appointment, your doctor may numb your skin with a topical anesthetic. You may receive several shots during the procedure in the areas on your head and neck where you feel pain. The shots may feel like a slight pinch.

Note: Injections should ONLY be given by a licensed health care provider who has been trained to administer Botox for migraine treatment.

There is a high risk for complications when injections are performed by unlicensed or untrained individuals. Side effects are generally mild and will typically go away within a day or two. They may include:. Your doctor will discuss these side effects with you during your appointment, including what over-the-counter medications you can take to ease the discomfort. More serious side effects are rare, but possible in patients with muscle or nerve conditions or breathing-related problems.

To learn more, schedule an appointment with neurologist Dr. Carrie Downey today. Disclaimer: This blog is not intended to substitute professional medical advice. Andrew Blumenfeld suggests asking doctors how many injections they will give, and where they will give them.

Please note that before your insurance company will approve Botox as a treatment for your chronic migraine, you typically must have tried and failed to respond to two other preventative treatments. These might include anti-seizure medications, antidepressants, or blood pressure medications that are typically used to prevent migraine.

When you receive your first Botox treatment, expect the appointment to take about 20 minutes. The doctor uses a very small needle that feels like a pinprick.

He or she injects small amounts of Botox into shallow muscles in the skin. Each treatment typically involves 31 injections in seven key areas of the head and neck. The most common side effect from the Botox shots is a sore neck, and we recommend using an ice pack to reduce the discomfort.

It can take up to six months to see the maximum benefit from Botox. It is currently only available via a specialist such as a headache specialist or consultant neurologist. If you think you are eligible for Botox and would like to considered for treatment you can ask for a referral to a specialist. The specialist will assess your history and symptoms to make sure Botox is an appropriate treatment option for you.

You should be asked to keep a headache diary to monitor the effectiveness of the treatment. Our monthly ebulletin is the best way to find out about the latest migraine treatments, migraine events in your area, get help in managing your condition and learn about getting involved in our work. Search Please enter your search term. Your search term. Try Calm mode. Home » Living with migraine » Healthcare support » « Treatment options » Botox injections. Botox injections Injections into the head to prevent migraine.

What's on this page? The results suggested that there was benefit from this treatment; it not only improved quality of life and significantly reduced the frequency of chronic migraine headaches, but did so with few and mild side effects.

Botox was introduced for treatment of chronic migraine in , after some people receiving injections for cosmetic treatment of facial lines reported improvement of headaches.

Initial studies after that observation produced conflicting results. Then in , two large studies showed enough benefit reduction in headache days and improved quality of life that the FDA approved this treatment for chronic migraine. Botulinum neurotoxin is taken up into nerves, where it may modify the release of neurotransmitters, chemicals that carry signals between brain cells.

This is the original mechanism responsible for the paralysis in BoNT poisoning. However, this same process in other nerves may interrupt pain production by blocking the release of pain-producing chemicals such as substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide CGRP. Although not yet proven, this process could lead to a turning-down of pain processes inside the brain that may be responsible for chronic migraine. Although this mechanism can reduce headache frequency and severity, it does not seem to change the underlying migraine condition.

Theoretically, the spread of BoNT from the site of injection to other areas could result in muscle weakness or paralysis, and doctors usually avoid using BoNT in people with muscle weakness conditions.

In practice, however, body-wide reactions or side effects are rare. Mild injection-related irritation is sometimes reported. At times, temporary eyelid drooping or a change in facial expression resulting from the loss of forehead lines can be seen.

These complications can be avoided by moving subsequent injections to a different location. People typically have no restrictions after their injections, and they may return to work or normal activities.