If a new friend tells you that they’re trying Botox, you might assume that they’re hoping for a smoother forehead. Botox™ can also be an important treatment option for migraines.  

Chronic migraines can affect daily life, making it difficult to work on screens, take care of family members, or even leave the house. And challenging symptoms may continue even after trying different medications. 

In 2010, the FDA approved Botox for the treatment of chronic migraines. Understanding what a migraine is, how Botox works, and what to expect from treatment can help determine whether Botox for migraines might work for you. 

What Is a Chronic Migraine? 

Chronic migraine is defined as having at least 15 headache days each month for at least three months. At least eight of those days must include specific features of migraine, like sensitivity to light or sound, nausea, poor appetite or vomiting occurring alongside the headache pain. Migraines have four phases for many patients: prodrome, aura, pain, and postdrome. 

If you experience headaches this often, it’s important to seek medical help. And when headaches remain frequent and debilitating despite other treatments, Botox may be an option for your care. 

Understanding Botox for Migraines 

Botox is naturally produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Small doses of injectable Botox are used for specific purposes to weaken muscles (like those pesky forehead-wrinkle-causing ones) or to block the transmission of pain signals.  

For chronic migraines, Botox treats headaches by interrupting the release of molecules that send pain signals. It also affects pain processing centers in the brain. By interfering with these pain signals, Botox can help reduce the number of headache days for some people with chronic migraines. 

Botox treatment used for chronic migraine is a specific medical procedure that is different from the cosmetic Botox treatments offered at med spas and dermatology practices. The migraine treatment follows targeted steps designed to help manage chronic migraines and is typically administered by headache specialists. 

Are You a Good Candidate? 

Botox may be beneficial if you continue to have frequent, debilitating headaches after trying multiple medications. These may include medications taken every day or as needed.  

Your primary care provider may recommend seeing a specialist, such as a neurologist or a physical medicine and rehabilitation provider, to explore this treatment pathway further. 

What to Expect from Treatment 

Botox is not a permanent cure for chronic migraines, and if you choose to receive this treatment, you will need to have it administered regularly, because it wears off over time. Treatment is given four times a year, or approximately every 10 to 12 weeks. 

It’s also important to remember that you may not experience the full effects of Botox right away. It can take two or three rounds of treatment before you see the full benefits, but many patients experience at least a 50% reduction in the number of headache days after the first few rounds of treatment. This can make a significant difference if you’ve previously experienced headaches on 15 or more days each month. 

A Treatment Option for Chronic Migraines 

There’s no question that chronic migraines can be debilitating, dangerous, and disruptive to daily life. Botox is one of many relatively new options for treating migraines that many people don’t know about, due to Botox’s commonly known use in the cosmetic world, but it’s a somewhat new option to try if other treatments haven’t yet worked for your headaches. 

At ChristianaCare, our neurosciences providers offer numerous treatment options for chronic migraines, both in-person and virtually through our Virtual Headache Clinic. If you want to learn more about ways to treat your migraines, including options for Botox, reach out to a provider today. 

Latest Wellness
Top