BOTOX® Treatment: Migraine Headaches

Migraine headaches are a fairly common type of headache that affects some 28 million people in the United States with a greater number of females than males being affected. Migraines can vary in intensity from being mild to moderate to actually being debilitating and resulting in considerable loss of wartime and interruption of everyday activities. Migraines can be difficult to diagnose resulting in a general under diagnosis and thus an undertreatment rate in the population.
Migraines are characterized by chronic recurrent episodes that often, but not always, are associated with headache. Most patients describe migraine headaches as an intense throbbing pain that is located on one side of the head at the temple but may involve the eye or the back of the head. About 2/3’s of the time migraines are limited to only one side of the head but will change sides during the next attack. Many migraine sufferers experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, facial pallor, cold hands, cold feet, and sensitivity to light and sound. As a result migraine sufferers usually prefer to rest in a quiet, dark room during an attack which can last from 4 to 72 hours.
It is estimated that 40-60% of migraine attacks are preceded by warning symptoms that may last for hours to days. These warning symptoms may include sleepiness, irritability, fatigue, depression, euphoria, yawning and cravings for sweet or salty food. Approximately 20% of migraine attacks are associated with an “aura” consisting of flashing, brightly colored lights in a zigzag pattern, a blind spot or scotoma in the field of vision, and sometimes a pins and needles sensation in hand or arms or around the mouth. In severe cases of hemiplegic migraine there may actually be paralysis or weakness of one side of the body, mimicking a stroke, are characterized by chronic recurrent episodes. The paralysis or weakness is usually temporary, but sometimes it can last for days.
During the initial 24 hours after a migraine, sufferers usually feel fatigued and drained and may continue to have a mild headache with some remaining sensitivity to light and sound. As you can see, migraine can in fact have profound effects on one’s quality of life.

Fortunately, migraine sufferers may be able to get some relief from BOTOX® Injections. Richard Glogau, M.D., Professor of Dermatology, University of California-San Francisco reported the results of a study at the November 2000 Meeting of the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery whereby 75 percent of patients in his case study experienced four to six months of Migraine relief following injections of BOTOX®® to muscles of the face and head. This study confirmed the results and reports of others suggesting that BOTOX® could in fact offer relief to migraine sufferers. As a result of a number of studies, it is now commonly thought that BOTOX® for migraine is a clinically effective treatment option. BOTOX® treatment for migraine requires BOTOX® injections into the muscles of the brow, forehead, around the eyes and sometimes the back of the head and neck to be effective. Often patients will find that the frequency and the severity of their migraines are reduced for 4-6 months.