Botox for Migraines - Does It Work?

Botox has become a staple for migraine patients. Although a number of studies have come out showing benefits, and all of us performing the injections know the benefits, still, the use of Botox for migraines is off-label. When Reloxin comes out, the greater volume of distribution may be even more beneficial for patients with migraines than Botox.
Neurologic evaluation is always necessary before treating patients for migraines. You wouldn't want to treat a brain tumor with Botox!
The injections for migraines are in entirely different locations than conventional Botox for frown/crow's feet/forehead areas.

Botox can help to reduce how often you have migraines and how bad they are. It does interrupt pain signals between your brain and the nerve endings that connect to your muscles which ends up helping the migraines

We have known botox to work well for migraines for many years, and Botox was officially approved for use in migraines by the FDA in 2010. Officially, the FDA recommends injecting 155 units over 7 different sites within the head and neck. That's a lot of needles and a lot of botox! Recently we have developed more targeted techniques to apply smaller amounts of botox to fewer areas with less needles, resulting in the same (or even better) results.  In addition to Botox, which requires injections every 2-3 months, there are precision surgical techniques that can permanently reduce or remove migraines. These procedures are being performed at a few specialized centers around the world.

I'm sorry to hear you've been
suffering so long. As a migraine specialist, I have done significant research
into this field. BOTOX injections can provide relief for many migraine
sufferers because they disable the trigger muscles that contribute to the
headache. The only way to find out if there is a muscle component to your
headaches is to consult with a doctor who offers BOTOX for migraine treatment.
If it works for you, you may opt for a simple surgical procedure that provides the
same results as the BOTOX injections, but permanently. Although many people who
have migraines experience triggers from these certain muscles, some people have
other triggers and therefore aren't good candidates for BOTOX or the surgical
treatment. See a migraine specialist for an evaluation to determine whether you
are a candidate. You don't have to suffer anymore!

Botox injections use very fine guage needles so not very painful, certainly not afterwared. The average costs depends on the number of units injected and the area. Most of our patients find it both affordable and helpful for migraine headaches though not all patients benefit from them. But for those patients lucky enough to have a response - it can greatly improve your life.

Botox has been used successfully in patients with migraine headaches and tension headaches. I use this therapeutic modality frequently with success. Raffy Karamanoukian MD FACS