Can Botox Help with Migraines

In an attempt to find some form of relief from migraines and headaches many people have resorted to using different types of treatment. In cases such as chronic migraines which often send painful, sharp pains, one can resort to just about any kind of treatment just to ease the pain. Migraine symptoms can last up to 15 days or more every month affecting your quality of life. Most migraine medications aim at either addressing acute symptoms or prevent future attacks from occurring.

 Botox is an injectable drug that can be used as a preventative option for migraines. It’s a neurotoxin made by bacteria called Clostridium botulinum. However, if ingested from eating spoiled food it can cause a deadly reaction since it can block signals from your nerves and paralyze your muscles. Its use in preventing migraines was approved in 2010 for adults, especially those with a history of migraine headaches or those experiencing headaches on most days of the month that last for more than 4 hours. But, can Botox help with migraines? Here’s more about it.

What Botox does

When injected into your body, Botox blocks certain chemical signals coming from your nerves, resulting in temporary paralysis of your muscles. While it’s been popularly known in the beauty and cosmetic industry to be effective as a wrinkle reducer, its potential for treating medical conditions hasn’t been ignored. Today, it can be used to treat eye twitching, repetitive neck spasms, and overactive bladder as well as prevent chronic migraines.

 It’s been labeled as safe since the toxin isn’t digestible and the dose is smaller compared to that present in spoiled food. Doctor’s research has shown that it can smooth wrinkles due to its relaxing effect on facial muscles. People using it to treat wrinkles have stated that their headaches and migraines got better after using it leading to more studies on its use as a migraine pain treatment. Find out more on botox vs skincare and how the two relate.

Can Botox work for migraines and headaches?

As evident from clinical trials Botox has been proven to be one way to treat chronic migraines. This is in addition to other medications and lifestyle changes that are often recommended. Its use has been considered among the many options that neurologists and headache specialists prefer for the treatment of chronic migraines. But, the approach used includes the administration of several different treatments to help reduce headache frequency and severity.

According to studies those that undertook trials experienced “crystal-clear” pain-free days and thus fewer days off work. From these results, doctors believe that Botox can work for migraines since it can block the neurotransmitters carrying pain signals from your brain. This prevents the chemicals from getting to the nerve endings around your head thus reducing the pain caused by migraines or headaches.

Botox can be quite beneficial but only when used correctly. But, like any other treatment, it also has its side effects, neck pain and headache being some of the most common ones for people who get chronic migraine headaches. In rare cases, you might experience an allergic reaction to Botox displayed by shortness of breath, or swelling in your lower legs.