In recent times, the uses for botulinum toxin treatments has increased significantly. Applications in cosmetic surgery and muscle spasticity disorder are now well recognized and are offered at a number of different centers all over the world. Migraines are one of the newer conditions that botox has been used to treat.
Below, we will be going over how botox treatments have been used as of late to for this reason.
Background
Botox injections work by paralyzing the nerves and blocking the flow of nerve signals, thus relaxing the muscles. Clostridium botulinum is a bacterium contained in these injections, and that is the cause of the effect. Eye muscles can be relaxed this way, as well as muscles in other areas, of a patient's body, which can help rebuild muscle tone and restore function to higher levels.
Botox in migraine
Migraine is primarily mediated by the release of the neuro-chemical serotonin. Botox does not have any effect on this, but studies have shown that it can still help reduce pain in patients suffering from migraine.
While this is exciting news, it is still under investigation and there does not appear to be a clear reason as to how it can help reduce migraine headaches. The recommendations from the studies is to inject the botox into the scalp at around 31 -39 different points in patients. There are a number of theories that have been postulated:
First, that it blocks the nerves from transmitting pain signals.
After that, the muscles in the scalp are relaxed, which in turn, causes the brain to have a lower blood pressure.
Patients are reporting less headaches, and less severe when they occur, although the research to document this is still ongoing at this time.
Botox injections are recommended for chronic migraine sufferers who have had headaches for more than 15 days in a month and in those who have not responded to different drug treatments. A condition called 'analgesic overuse headache', which is headache due to overuse of painkillers, also needs to be ruled out.
If they treatments make it so that less than 15 days a month are headache free, or if they have at least 2 cycles of botox without seeing any relief, then this may not be the right treatment for that particular patient.
Are risks a factor?
There have been rare reports of allergic reactions or neck pain from botox scalp injections.
Conclusion
Botox injections are still relatively new when it comes to treatment for migraines, but it is gaining in popularity. Botox treatments for chronic migraine look like they are effective, but at this time, further study needs to be concluded in order for these claims to be verified.
Below, we will be going over how botox treatments have been used as of late to for this reason.
Background
Botox injections work by paralyzing the nerves and blocking the flow of nerve signals, thus relaxing the muscles. Clostridium botulinum is a bacterium contained in these injections, and that is the cause of the effect. Eye muscles can be relaxed this way, as well as muscles in other areas, of a patient's body, which can help rebuild muscle tone and restore function to higher levels.
Botox in migraine
Migraine is primarily mediated by the release of the neuro-chemical serotonin. Botox does not have any effect on this, but studies have shown that it can still help reduce pain in patients suffering from migraine.
While this is exciting news, it is still under investigation and there does not appear to be a clear reason as to how it can help reduce migraine headaches. The recommendations from the studies is to inject the botox into the scalp at around 31 -39 different points in patients. There are a number of theories that have been postulated:
First, that it blocks the nerves from transmitting pain signals.
After that, the muscles in the scalp are relaxed, which in turn, causes the brain to have a lower blood pressure.
Patients are reporting less headaches, and less severe when they occur, although the research to document this is still ongoing at this time.
Botox injections are recommended for chronic migraine sufferers who have had headaches for more than 15 days in a month and in those who have not responded to different drug treatments. A condition called 'analgesic overuse headache', which is headache due to overuse of painkillers, also needs to be ruled out.
If they treatments make it so that less than 15 days a month are headache free, or if they have at least 2 cycles of botox without seeing any relief, then this may not be the right treatment for that particular patient.
Are risks a factor?
There have been rare reports of allergic reactions or neck pain from botox scalp injections.
Conclusion
Botox injections are still relatively new when it comes to treatment for migraines, but it is gaining in popularity. Botox treatments for chronic migraine look like they are effective, but at this time, further study needs to be concluded in order for these claims to be verified.
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