Botox For Headaches

Botox for Headaches: Fact or Myth

Botox or botulinum toxin was FDA approved and put in use 1989; its main use of intent was face lifts through temporary removal of wrinkles around the face area. It had instant success due to its immediately visible effects.

How does Botox Work

Botox relaxes the muscles to the point of paralyzing them, depending on the dose injected and thus, prevents the releases of acetylcholine, which contracts the muscles and creates wrinkles in the process. Botox became widely popular and still is today with millions using it daily around the world. The main benefits of using Botox as a face lift substitute is that it is very fast, you can have a Botox treatment in your lunch break and nobody will notice - except for the fact that you will return to the office looking younger and wrinkle-free.

During the many sessions of Botox therapy, patients discovered that along with a younger face their headaches had been treated as well. Doctors were skeptic at first not seeing any way that Botox was a remedy for headaches. However, they realized that Botox relaxed the muscles around the temples, jaws and neck which are mainly responsible for tension headaches.

Botox for headaches became an instant success even though it is not yet approved by the FDA. There are safety issues that lurch over its benefits as Botox is a neorutoxin but because it did not show any side effects since the time it was launched in 1989, doctors still administer it to the patients.

Other Benefits of the  Botox for Headache' Treatment

Botox does not cause dizziness or drowsiness because it is injected in the muscle and not in the blood stream, and therefore is not absorbed directly by the system. Botox for headaches does not have recorded side effects and one injection treatment can last for up to three months at a time. Droopy eyelids can be a side effect, but experienced doctors who inject Botox for headaches can avoid that easily.

Helpful Tips

Do not try Botox for headaches treatment except under the supervision and/or advice of an experienced doctor. You will need to take in consideration the cost of Botox treatment, its effectiveness versus the cost of your present headache/migraine treatment to evaluate if it is cost effective for you or not.

Botox has not yet had any major side effects due to which it is considered by the doctors around the world a safe treatment for wrinkles as well as headaches.

(c)  Headache - Tyler's Articles 2006