Finding Migraine Headache Relief with BOTOX®

This time last year, Sarah Witt was suffering through constant headaches, and two to three migraines a week. With the help of ProMedica Physicians Neurology, she’s found a solution: BOTOX® injections. With regular treatment, Sarah rarely experiences a headache or migraine, and if she does, they’re much less severe.

Treating Migraine With BOTOX

“It got to the point where it wasn’t manageable anymore. The headaches were constant. If I didn’t have a headache, I had a full-on migraine,” Sarah shares.

“I had to go through everything to get rid of the migraine. Take Tylenol and Motrin, use a heating pad, take a hot shower, lay in a dark room,” she adds.

When Sarah didn’t have success with traditional migraine preventive medications, Jennifer Martinez, APRN-CNP with ProMedica Physicians Neurology, recommended BOTOX.

How BOTOX For Migraine Works

BOTOX for migraine isn’t a cosmetic procedure. “While some patients may experience a smoothing of the brow line, there aren’t many cosmetic benefits,” Jennifer explains.

BOTOX is recommended for those experiencing chronic migraines. Chronic migraines are defined as 15 or more headache days a month with at least eight of those headaches having migraine symptoms. Botox is an effective treatment option for chronic migraines, but is less effective for episodic migraines, or less than 15 headache days a month.

“BOTOX for migraine is injected into the muscle and taken up by nerve endings. It then stops the release of neurotransmitters that send pain signals to the brain,” Jennifer shares.

Patients receive about 155 units of Botox into specific areas of the head, neck and shoulders.   Recommended treatment frequency is every 12 weeks.  Jennifer shares that after just one BOTOX treatment, most patients experience a 50% decrease in migraine frequency. Some patients also experience a decrease in severity. After receiving continued BOTOX injections every three months, many patients see a 90% decrease in migraine frequency.

Sarah explains that while the injections aren’t the most comfortable, they’re worth it for the migraine relief.

“Some of the injections are quite painful, but Jennifer does a great job at distracting me. She seems to know which ones will be the most uncomfortable,” Sarah shares.

Finding Migraine Relief With BOTOX

After using BOTOX for the past year, Sarah’s headaches and migraines have significantly improved.

“The regular headaches are entirely gone. I get a migraine about every one or two weeks – sometimes not even that,” Sarah explains. “And when I do get a migraine, I can get rid of it quickly just by taking Tylenol or Motrin.”

BOTOX is safe to use alongside other migraine medications. And it is covered by many insurances – sometimes after trialing other preventive medications or fulfilling a prior authorization.

Learn more about migraine headache specialists, diagnosis and migraine treatment at ProMedica.