Botox is emerging as a remedy for migraine headaches. An injectable cosmetic treatment for facial lines and wrinkles, Botox is actually a neurotoxic protein, called botulinum toxin type A, produced by the anaerobic, Gram positive, spore-forming bacteria Clostridium botulinum and which causes botulism. In its cosmetic application it acts by limiting the mobility of muscles underlying wrinkled skin, thereby rendering lines and wrinkles less noticeable.

Severe head pain, nausea and visual or light sensitivity problems are some of the symptoms associated with migraine headaches. Slurred speech and temporary paralysis have also been frequently observed in severe cases. Botox for migraines had been shown to be a safe and effective treatment, actually relieving most if not all of the symptoms of migraines, in clinical studies conducted as early as 1999.

Research on the use of Botox for migraines began when it was discovered that a number of patients receiving Botox injections for the treatment of deep wrinkles on the forehead stopped having migraine headaches or had significantly fewer migraine headaches since starting the injections. There was complete recovery from migraine in about half of them and partial improvement in about one third.

Los Angeles plastic surgeon Dr. William Binder and three other doctors conducted a formal study in 1999. They divided 100 patients in to 3 groups. Patients who definitely had migraines composed the first group. Patients who probably had migraines went into the second group. The third group consisted of patients who did not have migraines. At the conclusion of the study, it was established that migraine headaches completely disappeared in about half of the patients while the severity and/or frequency of migraine headaches was reduced by half in about 37 per cent.

The patients who reported that they no longer suffered from migraine headaches said that their symptoms had disappeared four months after receiving Botox injections. Of those who had acute migraines, complete benefit was experienced by 8 out of 13 within one or two hours. The benefits far outweighed the disadvantages; the only adverse effects reported in the administration of Botox for migraines were temporary local pain caused by the injections and slight bruising.

Previous research had shown that by relaxing the muscles, botulinum toxin A injections can reduce tension type headaches. However, the principal cause of migraine is not tension. So the researchers were surprised that Botox had such a good effect in the case of migraines. The study proponents then concluded that Botox can not be said to be a cure, but Botox for migraines certainly helped relieve the symptoms, based on the results that were achieved.

Slightly different results were shown in other researches which were done more recently on the use of Botox for migraines. 18 out of 24 patients experienced four to six months of migraine relief following injections of Botox in a study conducted in 2000 by Dr. Richard Glogau, professor of dermatology at the University of California San Francisco. In a study conducted by Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Arizona’s Dr. David Dodick in 2005, the frequency of migraine headaches in patients dropped from an average of 14 to only 6 a month after receiving Botox injections.

The medical use of Botox for migraines is not yet approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration but is approved for neurological disorders such as cervical dystonia (also known as spasmodic torticollis), blepharospasm, and strabismus. Migraine headache is also a neurological condition. The fact that Botox is an effective therapy for certain neurological syndromes indicates that there really is a positive connection between Botox and migraines.

About the Author: Jane Villardo gives advice on the ways that Botox (botulinum toxin type a) can improve lives. For more information about using Botox as a treatment for migraine, or more information about Botox injections and Wrinkle cream please visit Botoxinjection-facts.com