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Some people feel it has been an almost miraculous solution for them. But the trials and research
hasn't always been convincing. Is Botox for migraines something you should try?



  

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Botox is 2

O a toxin produced by bacteria. It's actually extremely poisonousO and
often is ingested as a result of not handling and cooking meat properly (2
  is often fatal).

But 2



(Botox) has become famous for it's other application - getting rid of
wrinkles. The treatment was discovered in Canada in 1987 by Jean and Alastair CarruthersO and
since then brand names c
O    and    (2

) have been used (in
very small doses) to decrease wrinkles and frown lines.

But the next discovery was that patients with migraine found their attacks to be decreasing when
they had Botox treatment. Why was this happening? Was it just a coincidence?

Since thenO research has begun to try to understand why it worksO and when it worksO and how
Botox for migraine might best be used.

^  
 

In your bodyO a chemical (neurotransmitter) known as 
 

 sends signals for muscles to
contract. Botox as a toxin binds the nerve endingsO blocking the release of the chemical.
EssentiallyO your muscles don't get the message to contractO and so they relax. In a proper
treatmentO the muscles won't contract (causing wrinkles)O but will still have enough strength for
normal use.

Why it may work to relieve migraine is not certain. Could it just be that relaxing certain muscles
slows the migraine chain reaction? It's more likely that it blocks pain signalsO or may even block
signals that contribute to the migraine.

An article at the Mayo Clinic simply saysOŒ
        



  
 
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 WellO one way is through simple injections. The
treatment is given in a series of shots. Some patients have found almost immediate relief. But
the interesting thing is that the improvement tends to last for several months.

The injections may be expensive. Many patients need to weigh the cost against the amount of
improvement they receive and the length of time the injections seem to help for. It's important to
discuss the option with your doctor and keep a headache diary.

Neither are all injections created equal. Sometimes injections are simply done in a band-like
fashion around the skull. But as our understanding increases about what worksO different
approachesO more specific approaches are being taken.

For exampleO Dr Jeffrey E. Janis advocates finding "peripheral trigger points"O using them as a
roadmap to use Botox for migraine.

Read more here about what Botox headache injections are like.

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Dr. Janis' believes that this process can go even farther. "
 


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Instead of using a shotgun approach - simply injecting everyone the same way - some
researchers believe that you can use the injections as a test. Which muscles are triggering the
migraine attacks? If those specific muscles can be foundO surgery can keep the problem from
resurfacing in the future.

Dr Janis explains: Œ
  
 
   

 

  
  



   
 
     
   




 

 
 
  
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This treatment has some very controversial aspects. Of courseO most are sceptical that migraine
can be relieved by focusing on muscles. Though muscle problems may be a triggerO it's
generally accepted that the migraine problem itself lies deep in the brain. Muscle issues may
actually be a trigger in only a few migraine sufferers.

!


  


roups like the American Academy of Neurology are not ready to accept Botox for migraine as
a major treatment. In the spring of 2008O they suggested that Botox injections were no better
than a placeboO based on the current evidence. (Read Botox Works on Muscle Disorders But Not
Migraines) They recommended that this treatment not be suggested for people with episodic
migraine and chronic tension-type headaches.

But wait - what about all these people that claim Botox has changed their livesO by relieving
migraine? WellO the fact of the matter is that the research is still in its infancy. It seems that
Botox treatments  workO for some. And for some they work   .

But when compared against the many other treatments out thereO the evidence still needs to be
built up. In other wordsO there are many other things you can tryO and probably   tryO before
you try Botox for migraine.

Some research is starting to suggest that patients with certain  of migraine pain may benefit
most from Botox. That would explain why the more general studies don't show the same
improvements. (Read this study on exploding vs imploding headacheO for exampleO from 2007)

And different studies measure things differently. For exampleO what if Botox for migraines
decreased the frequency of migraine attacksO but not the intensity?

If you are interested in trying BotoxO take a look at some of the latest techniquesO and discuss
them with your doctor. Be sure you have a good idea what else is out thereO and what the pros
and cons are.