Migraine is a severely painful, debilitating form of a headache. Chronic migraine patients often experience this acute headache 15 or more days in a month. Botox is an important preventive treatment for chronic migraine. While many people recognize Botox as an anti-aging alternative to facial cosmetic surgery, it is also a proven and established preventive solution for chronic migraines.
Pain medications are usually not a sustainable approach to addressing the symptoms of chronic migraine. Therefore, a physician may prescribe a preventive medication such as Botox injections. Fellowship trained facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Dr. Eric Yavrouian, provides Botox treatment to patients in Glendale, Pasadena, Burbank, Greater Los Angeles CA, and surrounding locations.
Preventive Treatment
Many patients respond well to preventive medications that are aimed at reducing the frequency and severity of chronic migraines. A study in the Neurology journal revealed that nearly one-third of all patients with chronic migraines take preventive medications. This is where Botox comes in, which is commonly used in place of facial cosmetic surgery for patients who want non-surgical aesthetic procedures.
Botox is a proven and effective preventive treatment for chronic migraines. In 2010, Botox gained approval of the FDA as a preventive treatment for migraine. Since the FDA’s approval, Botox injectable procedure has become widely accepted among patients with chronic migraine. Experienced facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Yavrouian receives patients from Glendale, Pasadena, Burbank, Greater Los Angeles CA, and nearby areas.
How does it Work?
Botox treatment for migraine is usually administered once every three months over a span of 15 months. The Botox provider will inject multiple doses of the medication in targeted areas such as the forehead, temples, back of the head, neck, nasal bridge, and upper back. The purpose of this injectable treatment is to mitigate the symptoms of migraines.
The patient should not expected immediate relief with Botox injections. Improvement will occur in about two weeks. In fact, some of the patients may not gain any relief from the first round of injections. According to the American Headache Society, additional treatments can sometimes be more successful.
Candidacy for Botox
A variety of treatment options for chronic migraine patients are available today, and Botox is one of them. In some cases, the provider may not recommend Botox injections until other treatment options have exhausted. If the patient has a low tolerance for other migraine medications, Botox may be chosen as the first option.
Benefits
Botox injectable treatment is virtually painless. Each injection may only cause a very minor sting. The entire treatment session with Botox can be completed quickly. Working people can simply receive a 15-minute treatment session during their lunch break, and then return to work. No downtime is involved with this treatment in most cases.
Insurance
The sticker price for Botox injections will usually be covered under insurance when it is used to treat chronic migraines. Prior to the start of the treatment, the patient should talk to the insurance provider. A few other procedures or tests may have to be undertaken to fulfill the insurance requirements.
For more information about treatments and procedures by Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, Dr. Eric J. Yavrouian, serving patients in and around Glendale, Pasadena, Burbank and the Greater Los Angeles, CA area call 818-241-2150 or click here to contact him for a consultation.
