Botox For Migraines
If you’ve experienced them, you’re well aware that living with migraines can be very painful. The amount of pain experienced can hinder the affected individual from carrying out their day to day activities with ease. With the advancement in medical procedures, botox has a number of benefits for chronic migraine patients. Be assured, however, that the botox is not for cosmetic purposes. Instead, it focuses on treating chronic migraines that some patients keep experiencing. Here is everything you need to know about the use of botox for treating migraines.
How Does it Work
Botox treatment deals with the pain fibers that cause the headaches you experience. What the botox does explicitly is it blocks neurotransmitters from the brain. These are chemicals that carry pain signals. By blocking their path, the botox helps cut their journey, paralyzing the nerve endings that are causing the pain. In doing this, the migraines get stopped before you even have a chance of feeling them. Botox relaxes muscles in the regions where it gets inserted. That way, the botox injected for chronic migraines relaxes the muscles that react to the migraines causing you relief. Of course, all pain relief is different. Depending on the patient, pain relief may be felt after the first treatment, or it may take a few treatments to provide the desired effect. With that said, botox treatment for chronic headaches is a great solution.
The Treatment Process
As for the actual treatment process, it is a relatively simple one. Once you arrive for your appointment, the procedure takes about half an hour to an hour at most. The session consists of a doctor pricking the patient’s face and neck with a needle multiple times. Each side receives the same number of pricks during the process. Do not fear, though, as this is a relatively painless process. For each session, the doctor professionally inserts a specific amount of botox into the patient’s muscles beneath the skin.
Treatment Timeline
The effects of a botox treatment typically last about three months, at which point another visit becomes necessary. After the procedure, patients usually feel relief within 1-2 weeks. As mentioned before, it is vital to keep in mind that everyone’s timeline can vary based on the patient. However, your doctor will walk you through the expectations you should have in advance so that you are prepared. Some patients experience fewer migraines, while others experience more migraines of a lesser degree than before the treatment.
Side Effects
There are common beliefs that there can be various side effects associated with botox. However, with this treatment, you can quickly know that there are no scary side effects attributed to the procedure. The amount of Botox used under the skin is not enough to compare to primary botox treatments. Primary treatments require more significant amounts of botox, which can have harmful side effects. The most common side effect associated with this procedure is minimal pain or mild headaches right after the practice. Doctors attribute this side effect to the number of pricks that are required to facilitate the process. But the pain does not last long. Some doctors recommend rest after a procedure to help deal with the pain. But for some patients, it is not necessary.
How Much Does it Cost?
Although Botox treatments for chronic migraines can vary in cost, there are average price ranges where most botox treatments commonly lie. In general, each treatment can cost anywhere from 300 to 600 dollars. You can rest easy knowing that unlike some other botox procedures, this botox treatment is an FDA approved process. That means that various insurance providers typically cover it. However, a patient will need to have reasonable cause to receive this treatment and have it paid for by their insurer. One reason, for instance, could be that the patient has tried conventional migraine treatments with no improvement.
Finding Your Local Doctor
Finding a local doctor who can treat your chronic migraine through botox treatments can sometimes be challenging. Apart from the fact that you need to find somewhere nearby to have the procedure done quickly, finding a professional to do the job well requires a lot of research. That’s because a doctor who can do cosmetic botox procedures, such as fillers, isn’t necessarily qualified to do botox treatments for migraine relief. In general, using databases such as Yelp or Google is a great place to start. It would take you time, but you’re bound to come up with a few leads to get you started. The internet could also help you find patient reviews to help you vet a specific clinic or hospital. Find as many reviews as possible from different platforms to help you decide where to get your Botox treatments done.
Why Choose Dr. Nash
Dr. Nash has been providing compassionate and specialized care to his patients for decades. His experience spans different medical areas. These include physical medicine and rehabilitation, regenerative medicine, and interventional pain management, among others. As such, you’re guaranteed personalized, professional service when you visit the facility for your consultation and to get your Botox treatments.