How Can Botox Treat Migraines?

Migraine pain is listed as one of the 10 most disabling medical conditions on the plant by the World Health Organization (WHO). If you suffer from debilitating migraine pain, you may be a candidate for Botox® therapy.

At New Tampa Interventional Pain & Sports Medicine, we specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of migraine.

Our experienced pain specialist Jose De La Torre, MD, offers the latest treatments to better manage occasional and chronic migraine.

An overview of migraine pain

A migraine is a neurological disease that causes intense, throbbing pain on one side of the head. Pain can be severe enough to also trigger other symptoms, including:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Vision changes
• Increased sensitivity to sounds, lights, and smells

The root cause of migraine isn’t well-understood. There are known factors that can trigger a migraine attack, such as certain foods, unmanaged stress, and hormone changes.

Pain and other migraine symptoms can last for several hours or days. Migraine can also become chronic, occurring 15 or more times in a month. The pain of chronic migraine can significantly limit what you can do physically and interfere with your ability to take care of yourself and other responsibilities.

If you experience chronic migraine but oral medications aren’t working well, it may be time to consider Botox therapy.

How Botox works to treat and prevent migraines

Botox is a medication made from a purified form of botulinum toxin, a substance that also contributes to food poisoning.

Injections of Botox into the muscles of your scalp, neck, and face can relieve existing migraine pain and prevent chronic attacks from occurring. The medication works by disrupting pain signals from the nerves before they can travel to the brain.

Botox therapy may not be appropriate for your initial migraine treatment, but if medications and other therapies aren’t providing pain relief, Dr. De La Torre may consider you for Botox injections.

Treatment is fast and comfortable. We can provide a topical anesthetic at the injection site to prevent pain. You can expect to return to your usual activities right away, so a lunch break appointment is ideal for migraine sufferers with busy schedules.

Timeline for pain relief with Botox

Typically, a series of Botox injections is needed to stop new migraines from developing. It can take several weeks for you to notice a reduction in your migraine symptoms after you receive your initial injections. Many people experience fewer migraine attacks after two or three treatment cycles.

Dr. De La Torre determines how often you should schedule Botox appointments based on the frequency and severity of your migraine. He continues to monitor your treatment outcome during follow-up visits to ensure Botox therapy is working well.

If you aren’t a candidate for Botox or need treatment for occasional migraine pain, we can work with you on a treatment plan that includes lifestyle changes, diet modifications, and oral medications. We can also help you understand your migraine triggers, so you can avoid them.

Call New Tampa Interventional Pain & Sports Medicine in Wesley Chapel, Florida, today to schedule a migraine consultation or book an appointment online.