Picture a beautiful warm day outside.
You're taking a nice,
peaceful jog outside in the park.
Everything seems perfect,
the sun is shining and the birds are singing.
Nothing can go wrong...
Until it hits, the agonizing,
throbbing, pulsating pain of a migraine.
Those beautiful sounds of
the winds and the birds flying through
the sky have now become the
trigger. A beautiful sunny day,
gone dark in the matter of seconds.
But what if there was a solution,
something that could help alleviate
the discomfort and pain of your migraine?
Well, there is and
believe it or not, it's Botox.
But before we get into what it is and
how it works, as a quick disclaimer,
Botox is not a cure for migraines.
It is a treatment option that focuses on
relieving symptoms and
preventing additional attacks.
So what is Botox?
Well, it's actually a drug made from a toxin
produced by the bacterium,
Clostridium botulism.
It's the same toxin that causes
a life-threatening type of
food poisoning called botulism.
Typically, doctors use it in small doses to
treat health problems, such
as the temporary smoothing of
facial wrinkles, and
improving your appearance.
It's also been used to treat
severe underarm sweating, cervical dystonia,
an overactive bladder,
strabismus, and more
recently for chronic migraines.
The way Botox injections
work are through weakening or
paralyzing certain muscles, or
by blocking certain nerves.
The effects can last from
3 to 12 months
depending on what you are treating.
So now that we've learned a bit of
background information on what
Botox is and how it works,
let's learn a bit more about migraines and
what differentiates them from the common headache.
Migraines are recurring type of headache.
They can cause moderate to severe pain, that
is debilitating, throbbing or pulsing,
but it's often on one side of your head.
There are other symptoms associated with it,
such as nausea, weakness,
and even sensitivity to light and sound.
But we still don't know
exactly what causes them.
But researchers do believe that
migraines have a genetic cause.
However, there are a variety of
factors that can trigger a migraine,
which range from person to person.
Some of which including stress,
anxiety, hormonal changes,
too much or not enough sleep,
meal skipping, tobacco, and
even caffeine or caffeine withdrawal.
It's also been found
that there are certain foods
that can trigger migraines,
such as alcohol, chocolate,
some fruits and nuts, yeast,
fermented goods, and even
cured or processed meats
amongst many others.
But who's at risk for migraines?
Well, based on the 2010 and 2011 Canadian and
Community Health Surveys and
the 2011 Survey of
Living with Neurological
Conditions in Canada,
it was found that an estimated
8.3% of Canadians,
which is approximately 2.7 million people,
reported that they had
been diagnosed with migraines,
with females being more likely than
males to report having a migraine.
Migraine prevalence was
highest amongst people in
their 30s and 40s and
ranged from province to province.
Other medical conditions
such as an depression,
anxiety, bipolar disorder, sleep disorders,
and epilepsy, have also been found to
put an individual at higher risk
to be diagnosed with migraines.
So how can Botox be used as
a preventative treatment for migraines?
What makes you eligible?
The way it works is
the Botox will be injected using
a micro needle to the areas
involved and headache and migraine pain.
It affects the nerve endings by blocking
the release of chemicals
involved in pain transmission.
By examining a meta-analysis of using
Botox versus a placebo
for the treatment of migraines,
it was found that across 17 studies,
including a total of 3,646 patients,
that the injections were superior
to the placebo for chronic migraines
after 3 months of therapy.
For the first time, a real benefit in
patient quality of life was demonstrated.
But what makes you eligible to
receive the Botox injections?
Well, just because you've been diagnosed with
migraines does not
automatically mean you are eligible.
In order to be able to receive the treatment,
you would have to be diagnosed by
your physician with chronic migraines.
This is the most severe form of a migraine
affecting only 1-2% of the population.
These people would have had
more than 15 days of
headaches a month for at least 3 months,
8 or more of which are migraines.
Okay,
so now that we've learned
about what Botox is,
how migraines differ from headaches,
and how Botox can be used as
a preventative treatment
for chronic migraines,
let's do a quick wrap up.
While Botox injections
do have promising effects,
it's important to note
some potential risks and
side effects associated with it.
These include but are not limited to, pain,
swelling, or bruising at the injection site.
You could also have flu-like symptoms,
a headache, or even an upset stomach.
However, there are still other risks that
are currently unknown and
still need to be studied more.
But a final disclaimer,
if you are pregnant or breastfeeding,
you should not use Botox.
Always consult with
your doctor beforehand and ask
for advice to verify
your potential eligibility.
And any Botox injections must be
administered by a registered
healthcare professional.
Lastly, remember,
there is no cure for migraines.
This treatment only focuses on relieving
symptoms and preventing additional attacks.
More research and studies still need to be
conducted to find a definitive cure
to treat migraines.