Migraines
Do you suffer from chronic migraines? Learn how botulinum toxin can reduce the frequency of your headaches and relieve migraine symptoms.
Chronic Headaches
Chronic migraines are a debilitating and disabling condition that affects around 2 in 100 people in the UK. Individuals are diagnosed as having chronic migraines if they have a headache for at least 15 days per month, with eight of these headaches having migraine symptoms, for at least three months.
Chronic migraine symptoms may include; frequent headaches, increased sensitivity to light, sound, or smells, ​​nausea (feeling sick), and vomiting (being sick). Other symptoms include aura (such as visual disturbances, problems with speech, numbness or pins and needles), dizziness, and vertigo (a sensation of spinning).
Botulinum toxin, a type of nerve toxin that paralyses muscles, can be used to treat chronic migraines. While botulinum toxin isn’t a cure for chronic migraines, it can reduce the number of days someone suffers from headaches and relieves migraine symptoms.
IMPORTANT: Before treatment is even considered, you must receive a full assessment and consultation from a trained professional to check your suitability and discuss your options and the risks.
Contact the Dental Health Centre today to book your full assessment and consultation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
It’s thought by doctors that botulinum toxin works by blocking chemicals called neurotransmitters that carry pain signals from within your brain.
Botulinum toxin can help reduce how often you have migraines and how bad they are. For most people who suffer from chronic migraines, it normally takes at least two treatment cycles before it’s determined to be effective. Treatment can reduce the frequency of headaches by 30-50% and reduce the severity of symptoms.
Botulinum toxin is injected using a fine needle under the skin or into the muscles in and around the forehead, above the ears, and even into the neck.
Treatment is administered roughly every 12 weeks. Botulinum toxin is usually given until your migraine has changed to episodic migraine for three months in a row, or that there is significant improvement in disability using quality of life questionnaires. If treatment doesn’t improve your migraine enough it may be stopped.
Generally, botulinum toxin is well-tolerated. The most common side effects include neck pain, muscular weakness, and drooping of the eyelid. These side effects are temporary because the treatment wears off over time.
