Botox for Migraines: What to Expect
Do you get migraines and wonder if there are any other treatment options for you? Have you ever considered Botox injections? Let’s talk about it!
Hello Everyone! I’m Dr. Bathla and welcome to another Pain Minute blog! Today, I want to talk to you about migraines and treating them with Botox injections.
Who is a Candidate for Botox?
Often, we get patients who have been stable on their migraine medications for many years but have been noticing that they are starting to get both increased frequency and/or intensity of their headaches. Alternatively, you may be someone who has had little to no success with their current medications and you may be looking for an alternative treatment option.
It’s important to mention that this is NOT a cure. It is a way to simply keep your headaches under control.
How effective are Botox injections for migraines?
Botox injections have shown to be highly effective. The average patient will show about a 50% reduction of their pain intensity and frequency after getting their injections.
What is classified as a migraine headache?
Let’s first define what a migraine headache is. People with migraine headaches differ from other headaches in that they may have symptoms of nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, and sound. They also may have an “aura” or a sign that their headaches are coming such as visual changes, a physical sign such as yawning/difficulty speaking, or neurological symptoms like tingling in the face, arm, or leg.
The criteria to get approved for Botox injections includes:
You need to have at least 15 headaches days in a month with 8 of them having the features of a migraine
You must have also tried and failed at least two migraine medications
How is this Botox different than cosmetic Botox?
Actually - They are the same! In fact, that is how it was discovered to be an effective treatment against headaches! It was found that people getting Botox for aesthetic reasons were finding a decrease in their migraines!
The major difference is that with Botox for migraines, we use a lot more Botox and usually do about 30-40 injections. Now, that may sound like a big number and I understand that can be scary, but we use a very fine needle when we do it, so it really isn’t so bad at all. These injections are generally performed into the forehead, the sides of the head. The back of the head, the neck, and the shoulders.
How does Botox for migraines work?
This is still up for debate and is not quite fully understood yet but it’s likely due to a combination of paralyzing the muscles that cause tension around the head and paralyzing the nerve receptors so they can’t transmit pain signals anymore.
As I mentioned earlier it works quite well and often, we are successful in eliminating any need for any other medications in our patients. A small percentage of patients can feel a little worse before it works so it is important to keep that in mind.
Are there any side effects to Botox for migraines?
Like any medical procedure, everyone will react differently and in their own way. One of the most common side effects may be swelling or bruising at the injections sites which will generally resolve quickly. More uncommonly, you may get an eyelid droop which generally will resolve within a few weeks and is not particularly dangerous. You should not have these injections if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
When will one experience results from the Botox?
The Botox injections can be effective within a few days to over two weeks post-procedure and it typically lasts about 3 months. At that time, you can repeat it again.
I hope you found this blog informative and helpful. If you like what you hear, please visit our YouTube page and click the like button and feel free to leave questions in the comments below the video. Please subscribe so that I can bring you more videos in the future.
Sincerely,
Baljinder Bathla, M.D.