in the mirror
Botox injections found to cure migraine
Dr Nantapat Supapannachart
Migraines affects millions of people around the world and is a misery for many of its sufferers. This severe form of vascular headache is painful and at times unbearable for those unlucky enough to suffer from it.
The common symptoms are sustained by intense headaches, dizziness, nausea and sensitivity to bright light and loud noises.
The actual causes of migraine are still under debate but studies show that many of them are triggered by external environmental stress. Other Common triggers of migraine headaches include heat, and lack of sleep or food.
Not every headache sufferer is sensitive to these triggers, but virtually all persons with migraine headaches have some trigger. About 70 per cent of people have a relation (parent, brother, sister, or child) with a history of migraine. People with a hereditary tendency for headaches may respond more easily than others to these elements of stress.
Certain foods in those susceptible to migraine may also trigger an episode with foods and drink such as chocolate and red wine being on top of the list for many sufferers.
Treatment can include non-medication and medication approaches and the obvious benefits of using traditional remedies such as acupuncture are beneficial for many patients.
Medication given to patients varies depending upon the severity of the Migraine. For example the majority of oral medication is made to stop migraines quickly and drugs are now available for immediate treatment of migraine attacks.
The goal is rapid and effective relief of headache. The most effective drugs for stopping a migraine are called triptans. Unfortunately about 40 per cent of all attacks do not respond to triptans or any other medications.
If all else fails one other option with patients who suffer sever migraines for more than 72 hours is they can be treated with intravenous medications and brief hospitalisation maybe necessary.
For those fortunate enough to only have mild attacks then Tiranol may be sufficient enough to relieve the pain.
Another surprising alternative treatment for migraine is the use of Botox injections. For years men and woman alike have been smoothing out those unwanted wrinkles by going for their regular beauty fix. And then a surprising discovery was made.
People found that the naturally occurring bacterium that Botox is derived from could be used to treat migraine sufferers to great effect. In studies, it has been found that 80 per cent of migraine patients who underwent Botox injections experienced migraine relief for four to six months.
The discovery of using Botox to relieve migraines came about accidentally and it wasn't until sufferers of CHD (chronic headache disorder) reported fewer and weaker headaches that further studies were conducted.
One patient who asked not to be identified had this to say about how Botox helped her in her fight against migraine.
"I had suffered with migraines for years [late teens to late forties] and had taken the drug. Sometimes the dose went up to three to four pills to help deal with the attacks. Recently I began to use Botox for my wrinkles and eventually found out that the migraines started to disappear too. So this is like a whole new experience. I no longer have to suffer from the pains."
It is thought that the Botox treatments may have helped sufferers of migraines for several reasons. The injection areas were based on cosmetic surgery points, such areas where wrinkles commonly occur close to the temples and on the forehead, (places where pain is prevalent during a migraine), these injections were administered directly into the muscle of the patient obtaining the desired effect.
The recommended treatment period for Botox as a cosmetic procedure is every four months it's therefore apparent that the dosage used to treat common wrinkles is sufficient to help relieve migraines in many cases.
Although further study is ongoing in the actual effects of Botox on migraine, the results and testimonials from patients over the years are encouraging and the side effects from undergoing Botox treatment are also quite negligible in those who receive it.
There is a plethora of information about migraine for suffers out there today and with more and more research going into the study of the condition there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Botox has proven its worth in the world of cosmetics and is now fighting the war on migraine. So now get rid of those wrinkles and cure that headache all in one go.m
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