Do you suffer from migraines? Chronic migraines affect millions of people throughout the United States. This type of stubborn and painful headache can quickly disrupt your daily agenda. For many, it can be debilitating. Migraines can make it difficult to eat and sleep, but many sufferers get physically ill with nausea or vomiting when a migraine comes on. Lying down in a quiet and dark room can often lessen the discomfort during a migraine episode. If you are missing out on work, school or life in general due to frequent migraine attacks, it may be time to consider Botox.
Botox Treats More Than Wrinkles
While you may know Botox as a means to reverse your wrinkles, this popular injectable product has also shown great success in treating migraines. Botox is a neurotoxic protein that is medically termed Botulinum toxin. When injected into targeted areas, it acts as a neuromodulator to temporarily relax the muscle. In terms of anti-aging, Botox can relax the muscles that cause facial wrinkles (crow’s feet, forehead lines, etc). However, in 2010, the FDA approved Botox to treat chronic migraine headaches.
While the precise explanation is not yet proven, scientists believe that the use of Botox for migraine sufferers works because it relaxes and limits the tiny muscle spasms that cause migraines while it blocks the spread of pain. When undergoing Botox for migraines, you can expect to receive injections around the neck, back of your head, temples and forehead. These are tiny (painless) injections that are typically given in the same dose amount used for wrinkle reduction.
Do You Qualify?
Botox is not the first course of treatment for chronic migraines. In fact, it is only recommended for patients who have 15 or more migraines per month with a sustained 8 hours or more of pain each time. Patients should have already tried other migraine remedies, including:
- Taking prescribed medications: such as Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, triptans or dihydroergotamine, anti-nausea drugs, etc.
- Making lifestyle changes to reduce triggers: lower stress, get more sleep, exercise, improve diet, stop smoking and stay hydrated
If migraines continue to impact your quality of life despite these treatment recommendations, Botox could be your answer. There are, however, other qualifications that must be met before receiving Botox for migraines. We invite you to speak to our expert medical team at Clear Immediate Care to learn more. We can not only determine your candidacy for Botox but also explain what you can expect in terms of treatment sessions, results and insurance coverage.