Are you experiencing more than 15 headaches a month, with 8 or more migraine days? Then, you are a good candidate for chronic migraine Botox, provided you are 18 years and above. Botox is recommended for the prophylaxis of intense and severe headaches among adults that typically last a minimum of 4 hours a day. Botox treatment for adolescents and children is also possible but categorised as an ‘off-label’ procedure because it is not covered by insurance companies.
What causes chronic migraines?
A chronic migraine begins as minor headache episodes that eventually become more frequent due to various factors which include the following:
- Medications such as over-the-counter and common medicines used to treat episodic headaches and barbiturate-containing medications
- Anxiety, mood disorders, and depression
- Too much caffeine intake
- Snoring
- Disrupted sleep pattern
- History of severe physical or emotional trauma
What are the common symptoms of chronic migraine?
The typical symptoms of chronic migraines are similar to episodic migraines but more frequent.
- moderate to severe head pain that becomes more intense by physical movement or activity
- sensitivity to sound, smell, and light
- dizziness
- nausea
- vomiting
- pressure-like pain or throbbing pain on one or both sides of the head
It is also important to know if your episodic migraine is becoming chronic. Some of the signs include an increased number of migraine attacks and taking more pain-relieving medication to arrest the painful headaches.
How to treat chronic migraines?
The conventional treatment plan for chronic migraine involves managing the symptoms, eliminating triggers that cause migraine attacks, preventive treatment during the onset, and lifestyle choices.
Lifestyle changes
- A healthy routine regimen that includes diet, exercise, and sleep
- Stress management techniques like yoga, meditation
- Losing weight if overweight
- Seeking treatment to manage mood disorder, anxiety, or depression
Preventive treatment
- Taking painkillers like aspirin, ibuprofen, paracetamol, or naproxen
- Using beta-blockers, angiotensin blockers, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants
- Treating nausea and related side effects
- Other forms of treatment like transcutaneous supraorbital nerve stimulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation, or Chronic migraine Botox treatment (onabotulinum toxin A)
Why choose Botox treatment for chronic migraines?
When you have tried almost every treatment and technique to prevent chronic migraine attacks, but do not find long-term relief, it’s time to try chronic migraine botox treatment. This injectable purified protein from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum is safe and effective when mitigating wrinkles and treating medical conditions like eye twitching, overactive bladder, and repetitive neck spasms.
It is a popular and widely-used preventive treatment for chronic migraines, inhibiting the release of neurotransmitters or chemicals that carry pain signals in the brain network. Those who opt for this treatment experience reduction of migraine attacks by half of the usual number after two sessions. After 5 treatments every three months, Botox can reduce the effectiveness by up to 70%. Patients who get Botox procedure say that they regain back the happy, pain-free days.
How is it done?
The standard method uses an injection volume of 5 units or 0.1 millilitres (mL). The Botox substance is injected in the most superficial part of the muscle in the head, neck, temples, forehead, the upper bridge above the nose, back of the head, and upper back. The Botox procedure involves 31 injections on the key areas to harness the benefits.
The entire treatment lasts 15 to 20 minutes only. Most patients start with two treatment sessions, 12 weeks apart and every 12 weeks to optimise the effects of Botox.
What are the common post-treatment reactions?
The typical adverse reactions rate after Botox treatment for chronic migraine includes:
- neck pain (9%)
- headache (5%)
- eyelid ptosis (4%)
- migraine attacks (4%)
- muscular weakness (4%)
- musculoskeletal pain (3%)
- myalgia (3%)
- facial paresis (2%)
- hypertension (2%)
- muscle spasms (2%)
Serious side effects and complications rarely occur. However, when the migraine seems to worsen, immediate hospitalization is necessary to address the symptoms.
How much is chronic migraine Botox in the UK?
The Botox chronic migraine cost per treatment costs between £450-£950, depending on the type or area of treatment, doctor’s expertise, and other relevant factors. Forehead treatment costs less compared to all-in treatment that requires injecting all major injection sites.
Who can administer the Botox treatment?
Since the procedure is a sensitive matter, you need to find well-trained and licensed medical professionals who specialise in Botox. This is to ensure utmost safety against complications and side effects, which are rare but possible. For chronic migraines, the types of doctor you need to book is a neurologist or otolaryngologists (ENTs).
When considering a doctor, find someone who is board-certified and already practising Botox procedures for chronic migraines, adept and knowledgeable about the type of Botox treatment for your specific condition, accepts your insurance, and easy to talk with.
Takeaway
In the UK, Botox treatment for chronic migraine among adults is well-accepted and regarded as cost-effective prophylaxis of severe headaches. If you’ve been trying several treatment methods but to no avail, Botox might be the cure you’re looking for.
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