Migraine Treatment
Migraine headaches are a neurological disorder characterized by over-excitability in specific areas of the brain.
When patients who experienced migraines used botulinum toxin Type A (derived from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum) cosmetically to treat wrinkles, they reported improvements in their headaches.
This led doctors to investigate botulinum toxin Type A as a potential treatment for migraine pain. The effectiveness of botulinum toxin Type A as a neuromodulator for migraines has since been well-documented in medical literature.
Botulinum toxin Type A has been used in medicine for over 20 years and is now an FDA-approved preventive treatment for chronic migraines.
It has proven to be a very effective option. Botulinum toxin Type A works by targeting specific muscles and nerves involved in migraines and typically has fewer side effects than many daily medications people take for migraines.
In addition to migraines, botulinum toxin Type A is commonly used to treat other conditions, including:
- Movement disorders, such as cervical dystonia;
- Eye disorders, such as crossed eyes and eye spasms;
- Bladder spasms;
- Excessive sweating.
Cosmetically, botulinum toxin Type A works by blocking nerve signals to muscles. However, its mechanism in treating migraines is not fully understood.
Injection Therapy for Migraine Headaches
The botulinum toxin Type A treatment for migraines involves tiny injections into seven key muscle areas of the head and neck. A doctor follows a specific migraine protocol that identifies exactly where to insert each needle. These injection sites target the sensory nerves involved in the cascade of a migraine attack. Patients may receive as many as 31 small injections.
You may continue your usual preventive migraine regimen, as botulinum toxin Type A does not interact with preventive medications. Typically, patients will require 2-3 rounds of injections, spaced three months apart, to determine if botulinum toxin Type A will be effective. This may take 6-9 months to experience meaningful improvement.
Results are typically noticeable as early as four weeks after the initial treatment, and the reduction in headache days may continue to improve over the course of 24 weeks. After two treatments (12 weeks apart), you will know whether botulinum toxin Type A is working for you. Patients typically receive botulinum toxin Type A injections every three months to treat migraines. Regular treatments are important to prevent migraines from returning. Once effective, botulinum toxin Type A can prevent migraines before they even start.
If you suffer from migraines and want to learn more about botulinum toxin Type A for pain relief, contact us today. We offer botulinum toxin Type A treatments for migraines at our facility in Kent, UK.
