Next-Level Migraine Management: How Botox® Works to Reduce Headache Frequency and Severity

Botox® is widely renowned for its ability to eliminate wrinkles and transform aging complexions, but over the years, experts have discovered additional uses of the popular injection. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved several, including use for migraine management. 

Migraine is a neurological disorder that causes a wide variety of symptoms, primarily debilitating migraine headaches. 

Migraine is the second most common cause of disability, with headaches so severe that they can cause sensitivity to light and sound, along with nausea and vomiting. You can also experience other neurological symptoms before and after the headache, leaving you sidelined for days on end.

Because migraine can impact you so severely, finding an effective management method is key, which is precisely why pain management expert Don Enty, MD, and the rest of our team offer Botox injections for next-level migraine management at Genesis Pain and Regenerative Medicine in Colleyville, Texas.

In this month’s blog, we discuss how Botox works for migraine management and how to integrate it into your treatment plan. 

How Botox works for migraines

Botox is the brand name of an injection that contains botulinum toxin type A. When used for cosmetic purposes, the neurotoxin is injected into your facial muscles to block the nerve signals that cause those muscles to contract and wrinkles to form. As a result, the wrinkles fade and your complexion softens. 

When you use Botox for migraine management, the goal is the same: to block nerve signals. However, instead of eliminating and preventing unwanted signs of aging, the neurotoxin prevents pain.

After we inject Botox, it enters your nerve endings and blocks the pain signals being sent to your brain, meaning that the migraine headache will stop before it even begins. 

Adding Botox to your migraine management plan

When you come to Genesis Pain and Regenerative Medicine for migraine management, our team begins by discussing all your migraine symptoms and how frequent and severe those episodes are. This information helps us determine if Botox is a good fit for you, how many injections you need, and what the appropriate dosage is. 

Currently, the FDA has approved Botox for migraine management if you have 15 or more migraine episodes per month. 

If our team determines that you qualify for Botox injections as part of your migraine management plan, we expertly administer the injections around your head and neck. Overall, the procedure is quick and doesn’t require any downtime.  

After a few days, you should start to notice results from the injections. However, for the best results, you may need 2-3 rounds of injections. Most patients who received Botox for migraine noticed a 50% reduction in headache days after two treatments. 

Results can last for up to three months, after which you can get repeat injections. 

Manage your migraine headaches with Botox

Ready to reduce the frequency and severity of your migraine headaches? 

Schedule an appointment with our team to see if Botox could be the perfect addition to your migraine management plan by calling our office or using our online booking feature today.