According to the Botox experts at Cosmos Clinic Sydney, Botox is a purified botulinum toxin. It works by interrupting acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter that passes signals between nerve endings. When the neurotransmitter is stopped from sending signals to nerves that control a muscle, that muscle is paralyzed. Medical researchers believe that Botox interrupts pain signals as well as acetylcholine. Botox is used to treat a chronic migraine, which means the patient gets these headaches more than two weeks out of the month. The headaches last at least four hours.

People who took Botox for migraine reported that they had eight to nine fewer headaches after the treatment. This not only included migraines but other headaches. They had days when they were completely pain free and didn’t have to take as many sick days off from work.

The Treatment

A chronic migraine sufferer comes into their doctor’s office for two initial sessions of Botox injections. It's important that the patient be treated by a medical professional who knows how to inject Botox specifically to treat migraines.

The sessions are spaced twelve weeks apart. Thirty one injections are divided equally on either side of the person’s head or neck. The shots are given in the forehead, between the eyes, above the temple and the ear and above the nape of the neck. More specifically, the shots are given in corrugator, procerus, frontalis, temporalis, occipitalis, and trapezius muscles. They're also given in the cervical-paraspinal muscle group. Some patients find the pain is more intense in one particular area of their head, so the physician may give them more shots in his area. Most patients see improvement about three weeks after the sessions.

The Botox is delivered with a small needle, and the patient usually does not require topical anesthesia. The treatment takes about 15 minutes, then the patient can leave. They should take care not to rub or massage the injection sites, as this could cause the Botox to migrate.

Side Effects

When the Botox is injected by a medical professional, the side effects are mild. Some people have, ironically, a headache and pain in the neck after their Botox injections. A few people are allergic to Botox injections and may suffer side effects such as hives and difficulty breathing. This is a medical emergency, and the patient should see a doctor right away. Another rare side effect is no effect at all. There are people who have developed an immunity to the botulinum toxin, possibly because they had a case of botulism in the past. Botulism, which can be a deadly disease, is caused by contaminated foods or from the Clostridium botulinum bacteria entering an open wound.

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