DEAR Dr. Fritz,
I have migraine headaches. And I have heard that Botox can be used for migraines. I wonder if this is true. Is this safe? And how effective is it?
Thank you and hope to hear from you soon.
Therese L.
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Dear Therese L.,
Yes. You have heard it right. OnabotulinumtoxinA, or Botox, was approved in 2010 for adults who get chronic migraines. But, it is only an approved treatment if you have a history of migraine headaches and headaches, which includes the tension-type on most days, which could be 15 times or more of the month. At least eight of which are due to migraine. You can't have this if you get headaches 14 times or fewer days each month and if you have cluster-like headaches.
Actually, Botox is a poison made by bacteria called Clostridium botulinums. It can give you a deadly reaction known as botulism if you eat it in spoiled food as it blocks signals from your nerves and paralyzes your muscles. But, if it is injected, it is safe because the toxin isn't digested in your stomach and the dose is vey small than in spoiled food.
So, does Botox work for migraines? In a study of adults who get chronic migraine headaches, it showed that shots of Botox puts down the total number of days they suffer from headaches. Another study also showed that nearly half of the people who took two rounds of Botox shots claimed that the number of days they had a headache every month was reduced in half. And just after five rounds of treatment, this increased to about 70 percent of the people.
Botox works for migraine headaches because it blocks the neurotransmitters that carry pain signals from the brain. This stops the neurotransmitters before they can get to the nerve endings around the head and neck to cause those pains. Good luck!
Dr. Fritz
(Dr. Fritz Legarde Espedilla is an aesthetic dermatologist and surgeon and a clinical sexologist. She is also trained in hypnotherapy and Medical Acupuncture. She has been in the broadcast media for more than a decade and has written a book based on her 15 year stint with her radio program, “Healthy is Sexy Secrets ni Dr. Fritz.” For your questions, you may e-mail them to dokfritz@yahoo.com. If you don’t wish your letter to be published, we regret that we cannot answer them. Thank you for your understanding.)