Are you interested in learning more about Austin Botox injections for migraines? Please call (512) 981-7246 now for more information, or to schedule an appointment with our providers.
Although Botox is commonly associated with cosmetic surgery, it’s now an approved treatment for chronic migraines and headaches in adults. In 2010, the Food and Drug Administration approved Botox injections for use in the treatment of chronic migraines and headaches in adults. Botox began gaining popularity as a treatment to reduce wrinkles in the late 1990s and early 2000s. However, it wasn’t long before researchers began to notice that migraine sufferers who had Botox injections for wrinkles were also reporting fewer migraines. Recognizing the potential for Botox to treat other conditions, the FDA approved Botox as a preventive treatment option for chronic migraines.
What Are Migraines?
Migraines are a type of debilitating headache known for causing intense pulsations or throbbing pain in or around one’s head. Many instances of migraine headaches cause people to experience nausea, in addition to light and sound sensitivities. Migraines are known to affect at least 12 percent of Americans. Many individuals with chronic migraines can experience these severe headaches 15 or more days out of the month. Chronic migraines and other forms of headache pain can be a tremendous burden on an individual’s career, family and social life. Therefore, it is essential to have a variety of effective treatment options available to migraine sufferers.
Botox for Migraine Headaches
When used to treat migraines and other types of debilitating headache pain, Botox injections are usually administered at specific points around the head, neck and shoulders. These areas include the bridge of the nose, the temples, the back of the head, the neck, the forehead and the upper back.
Botox injections are usually administered to patients in 12 week intervals. Botox treatment for headaches and migraine pain helps block chemical changes that occur in nerve endings. It causes the muscles of the head and neck to experience a ‘partial and/or temporary chemical denervation.’ It essentially causes the muscles to become too weak to constrict.
In typical cases, a patient who experiences migraine headaches will have Botox injections once every three months, spanning a 15 month period. The main goal of Botox injections for migraines and headaches is to alleviate the pain and symptoms of the condition. While this treatment is used to help mitigate the symptoms of a migraine headache, the effect is not immediate. Improvement can take as long as 10 to 14 days. Some patients may not experience relief from their migraine symptoms after the first round of injections. In this case, additional treatments are usually required before the patient notices the effect of Botox injections for headaches and migraines.
Is Botox Treatment for Migraines Right for Me?
If you are an individual in the Austin area who experiences regular or severe symptoms from migraine headaches, then you may be a candidate for Botox treatment for migraines. Give our office a call today at (512) 981-7246 to schedule an appointment with our Austin pain doctors and learn more about Austin Botox injections for migraine headaches. You may also request an appointment online.