Migraine

A migraine is a neurological condition involving nerve pathways and brain chemicals. Migraines typically cause severe throbbing on one side of your head along with additional symptoms that can include:
Nausea and vomiting
Extreme sensitivity to light or sound
Temporary loss of vision
Visual disturbances, like halos, flashing lights, or spots
When you have a migraine, your symptoms can last for a few hours or days. They can also vary in severity from mild to incapacitating.

What causes a migraine?

Several factors can trigger a migraine, including:
Certain foods, like aged cheese
Food additives, like MSG (monosodium glutamate) and aspartame
Highly caffeinated beverages or wine
Hormonal fluctuations in women
Too little or too much sleep
Intense physical exertion
High stress at work or home
Sensory stimuli, like strong smells or bright lights
Certain medications
Changes in the barometric pressure or weather

You’re also more likely to have chronic migraines if you’re a woman or have a family history of the disorder.

Botox for Chronic Migraines

Botox for Chronic Migraines has been developed over the last decade, and is now defined as a successful treatment option for those suffering from fifteen or more migraine days per month. In clinical trials of Botox treatment for migraines, over 1,000 patients were studied, suffering from on average 20 migraine days per month, 18 of which were defined as moderate-to-severe headache days.

Through this randomized study, patients who received Botox injections experienced on average 8 fewer headache days per month after 6 months of continued treatment (defined as two treatments, 12 weeks apart). After a full year of Botox treatment for migraines, 70% of those treated with Botox injections reported fewer than half of the migraine days per month that they initially experienced at the start of the study.

Botox treatment of chronic migraines is a proven method to provide migraine sufferers with fewer migraine attacks and many more pain-free days.

How is Botox used to treat migraines?

Botox is the medical formulation of a naturally occurring neurotoxin that’s FDA-approved to treat chronic migraines. This type of medication temporarily keeps your muscles from contracting.

When injected near the pain fibers associated with chronic migraines, Botox enters the nerve endings and prevents them from releasing the chemicals that send pain signals to your brain.I uses Botox to prevent chronic migraines from starting. To be effective, he generally recommends having regular Botox injections every 12 weeks. Each treatment usually takes about 20 minutes, and you can expect to see fewer migraines after two or three treatment cycles.

Where is Botox injected for migraines?

When it comes to treatment of chronic migraine, use of Botox is focused around 7 targeted locations along the head, neck and shoulders. The botox injections are distributed along:

The brow line (Corrugated muscle)
Between the brows (Procerus muscles)
The forehead (Frontalis muscle)
The side of the head (Temporalis muscle)
The back of the head (Occipitalis muscle)
The lower scalp (Cervical Paraspinal muscle group)
The muscles that connect from the neck to the shoulders (Trapezius)

Depending on the needs of the patient, different unit amounts of Botox will be distributed along these target areas.

Does Botox hurt ?

Botox injections are not a painful procedure. However, some patients feel some discomfort from any needles or injections. If this is the case, we suggest applying a topical numbing cream to the treatment area for one hour before your Botox injections.

What is the downtime after Botox injections ?

One Botox treatment can be performed in as little as ten minutes, which means it can even be done on your lunch break. There is little or no down time from Botox injections. There can be some mild temporary swelling at the site of injection. We advise all patients to refrain from any blood thinners, vitamins, or fish oils for one week before the procedure to lessen the risk of bruising at the injection site.

What are the side effects of Botox ?

Patients should not receive Botox if they are allergic to any of the ingredients in Botox in the medication guide for Botox, or have had an allergic reaction to any other botulinum toxin product such as Myobloc, Dysport, or Xeomin. It is important to remember that Botox is a prescription medicine, that is injected into the muscles, and can have potential side effects like any other medication. Botox injections should not be done when patients are pregnant or breastfeeding. Dr. Sever will review all of your medical history and current medications with you before treating you with Botox injections for facial wrinkles.

It is important to tell Dr. Sever is you have any muscle nerve conditions such as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome. Always let Dr. Sever know if you are taking any prescription medications (including muscle relaxants antibiotics for infection, allergy or cold medicines, sleeping pills), herbal supplements, or over-the-counter medications, which could potentially interact with your Botox treatment. It is always advised to discontinue any blood thinners for at least one week before your Botox injections.

Side effects to Botox include:

Localized swelling
Bruising at the treatment area
Pain at the injection site
Headache
Flu-like symptoms
Dry eyes or excessive tearing
Drooping eyelid or ptosis
Double vision
Blurred vision
Dry eyes

Immediate allergic reaction side effects which require immediate medical help include:

itching
rash
red itchy welts
wheezing
asthma symptoms
dizziness

Rare side effects of botulinum toxin products may result from the speak of toxin effects. The effect of botulinum toxin may cause:

Muscle weakness
Trouble breathing, talking, or dysphagia (trouble swallowing)
Vision problems
Bladder incontinence (loss of bladder control)
Hoarse voice
Neck pain
Paralysis

If you develop any of these serious side effects following Botox, further injection of Botox should be discontinued.

How long does it take to see the results from your Botox injections ?

While the results vary from patient to patient, the full effects of the Botox injections are reached after two weeks. The results are dependent on both being the right candidate for the procedure and the skill of the injector who performs the cosmetic Botox injections. The effects of Botox injections can last from 3 to 5 months before additional touch-up injections are needed.

What should I not do after Botox injections ?

Immediately after having treatment with cosmetic Botox injections, you should be upright for the first four hours. You should refrain from strenuous actives, facials, consuming alcohol, blood thinners, or excessive heat exposure including saunas or steam rooms. You should apply an ice pack immediately after your Botox injections to help control any swelling that may occur. If you have an increased propensity for bruising, an oral herbal supplement called Arnika Forte is available that can help minimize this.

Is Botox FDA approved ?

Of course! Botox was approved for cosmetic use in 2002 after extensive clinical trials were conducted to demonstrate efficacy and safety of treatment. Since its approval, Botox has soared in popularity and is not the number one non-invasive cosmetic treatment around the globe.

Can you exercise after Botox ?

Dr. Sever recommends avoiding heaving exercise immediately after Botox injections. Saunas, and steam rooms should be avoided for 48 hours after cosmetic injections as this leads to swelling of the treatment area.

Can you drink alcohol after Botox ?

It is best to refrain from drinking alcohol for 24 hours before your Botox injection and for one day after your treatment. Alcohol can thin your blood and like aspirin, can cause bruising.