Chronic migraines are a debilitating neurological disease characterized by headaches lasting at least 15 days each month for at least three months. While they may not seem impactful, over four million people in the United States suffer from chronic migraines, at a cost of up to $20 million to the economy each year in medical expenses and lost productivity.
The frustrating reality is that there is generally no singular fix for chronic migraines. Managing both headaches and migraines requires a multidisciplinary approach to alleviate pain, prevent recurrence, and improve quality of life.
If you’re currently exploring treatment options and are explicitly seeking advanced interventional procedures, here’s when to consider Botox® as a treatment for chronic migraines:
You Meet the Symptom Threshold
An occasional headache or migraine doesn’t mean you need to contact a trusted healthcare professional for Botox treatment. There are many viable treatment options available from migraine specialists before Botox needs to be a consideration.
However, once your headaches and migraines become chronic, you may meet the symptom threshold. Typically, healthcare providers look at whether you’ve had headaches on 15 or more days, with at least eight of them having migraine features for more than three months.
You’ve Tried Other Migraine Treatments
Headache and migraine sufferers have many different treatment options available to them. Many people experience relief with simple over-the-counter pain relievers. Others explore prescription medications with their doctor, such as beta-blockers, triptans, and anti-seizure medications to manage attacks and prevent future ones.
Beyond medication, non-pharmacological therapies can also be effective for many migraine sufferers, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), biofeedback, and acupuncture. In more serious cases, migraine specialists may even recommend nerve blocks and occipital nerve stimulation.
A multidisciplinary approach to treatments means that a range of options can be explored to suit each migraine sufferer’s unique needs. However, when the most common headache and migraine treatment options prove unsuccessful due to not providing relief or having intolerable side effects, healthcare providers can sometimes decide to explore Botox injections.
You’re Overusing Other Medications
The frustrating reality is that medications designed to ease headaches and migraines can also cause them. Medication overuse headache (MOH) is a headache caused by frequent use of painkillers. It’s referred to as rebound headaches.
Doctors can diagnose MOH if you take high levels of acute medicines for at least three months. To reduce the risk of MOH, refrain from taking painkillers more than two days a week. However, reducing the risk of MOH means you can still be left dealing with headaches. In that case, alternative treatment options like Botox are worth exploring.
How Botox Injections Work for Migraine Treatment
Botox helps prevent chronic migraines by blocking the release of pain-triggering chemicals in the nervous system. It calms your overactive sensory nerves and dulls the brain’s hypersensitivity to pain signals. As a preventive treatment option, Botox may reduce migraine frequency, severity, and duration.
If your healthcare provider recommends Botox injections for migraines, the treatment takes place in a doctor’s office:
- The targeted areas are cleaned.
- A fine needle injects small amounts of Botox into the muscles or skin. Your provider will deliver approximately 31 small injections into seven muscles around the back of your head, forehead, neck, shoulders, and temples.
- The procedure is quick (under 30 minutes) and doesn’t typically require anesthesia.
Most people start to feel the effects of their treatment within one to two weeks. Your healthcare provider will check in to see how you’re feeling and make a follow-up appointment. In most cases, the recommendation is two to three rounds of injections, during which time you should keep track of your symptoms in a diary.
When to Talk to a Healthcare Provider About Botox
Many people look for providers offering Botox in Waxahachie, TX, when they:
- Are having migraines more than a few times a week
- Are experiencing migraine attacks that interfere with work, school, family, sleep, and everyday life enjoyment
- Aren’t experiencing relief with current preventive treatments
- Are relying on pain relievers and migraine medications
What to Do After Botox for Chronic Migraines
If you’ve received Botox treatment for chronic migraines, it’s important to avoid doing the following things following your treatment:
- Dying your hair or using chemical treatments (24 hours)
- Lying down (4 hours)
- Doing activities that make you sweat, such as exercising or using a sauna (24 hours)
- Washing, rubbing, or massaging your head, neck, or face (24 hours)
Botox for Migraines Near Me: Learn More About Migraine Treatments at Eclipse Clinic in Waxahachie, TX
If you’re interested in exploring Botox as a chronic migraine treatment option, or you’d like to know more about alternative treatments, contact the experienced Botox Waxahachie team at Eclipse Clinic.
We’ll learn more about your chronic migraines and tailor a treatment plan to your unique needs. We look forward to helping you receive the relief you deserve.