Botox for Migraines? Tell Me More!

Botox® for wrinkles, sure. But for headaches? Absolutely. In fact, Botox injections are approved to treat and prevent chronic headaches that happen multiple times a month. Here, learn how Botox prevents headaches and what to expect during treatment.

Most people think of Botox® as a solution for lines and wrinkles. But while its cosmetic uses are well known, Botox actually began as a medical product designed to treat eyelid spasms.

Today, Botox is used to treat many other medical issues, including chronic headaches like migraines. In this post, Risa Ravitz, MD, and the team at Modern Migraine review how Botox works to manage chronic headaches and what to expect during and after treatment.

Botox and headaches

Everyone has headaches from time to time, sometimes due to dehydration, lack of sleep, stress, eye strain, or illness. Those headaches don’t last very long, and thankfully, they tend to be infrequent.

But chronic headaches are different. These headaches happen routinely — 15 or more times per month, month after month — and they affect about 40 million Americans.

How Botox works

Headache pain happens when chemicals trigger nerve signals that travel to the brain. These signals carry information that the brain interprets as pain.

Botox is a neuromodulator, which means it alters the way nerves work and communicate with each other. In cosmetic treatments, Botox blocks the nerve signals that cause facial muscles to contract, preventing lines and wrinkles from forming.

For headaches, Botox works by blocking the nerve pathways that are associated with chronic headaches. Specifically, it prevents nerve fibers from releasing chemicals related to headache pain.

The FDA has approved Botox for the treatment of migraines, but it may be used off-label to treat other chronic headaches, too. One big benefit of Botox for chronic headaches is that it can help you avoid large doses of pain medicines that often come with a lot of unwanted side effects.

What to expect during treatment

For headache treatment, Botox is delivered to precise locations in your head and neck via a very thin needle. Most people experience very little discomfort during their treatment, with each injection similar to the prick of a pin.

Before your treatment, we map out the precise location of each injection. This added step ensures optimal relief and prevention of headache pain.

Treatment sessions involve a varying number of injections, depending on your individual needs, with each session taking about 15 minutes. Most people benefit from a series of treatments to prevent headaches, with treatments repeated every few months to maintain those benefits.

Afterward, you may have some minor discomfort near the injection sites, but there’s no downtime. It takes a few days to a week or two for Botox to take effect. If you have headaches before Botox starts to work, you can manage them with your regular headache medication.

Keep your chronic headaches at bay

Migraines and other chronic headaches cause symptoms that can interfere with virtually every aspect of your life. To learn more about Botox treatment and other therapies that can help, request an appointment with board-certified neurologist Risa Ravitz, MD, and the team at Modern Migraine in New York City, Aventura, Florida, and Toms River, New Jersey, or via our telehealth services available in 13 states nationwide.