Botox for Migraines & Headaches
Many have heard about the use of Botox for the treatment of migraines and tension headaches. How do you know if it will work and if you're suitable for it?Many people suffer with the intense pain of migraine and tension headaches and have found little relief from medications prescribed from the doctor, or have found that the medication is so strong that it makes them drowsy and unable to function properly.
Botox has recently been in the news as a possible wonder drug for Botox. Is this true? Is there really a wonder drug? Well, sort of is the answer!
Many people wake with headaches from the side of their jaws or over their temple area. This quite often will progress to a migraine during the day, affecting daily life from work to looking after the kids and everything in between. Have you found yourself planning your day around the possibility of a migraine starting? I used to, until I had effective treatment, which has made me migraine free for 2 years now.
The pain and discomfort which arises from your jaws and temples is very much related to tooth grinding and clenching. Botox is injected into the muscles which are highly active and causes them to become weaker, this reduces the force with which you can grind and clench and brings the relief that has eluded to many people for so long.
What about the side effects?
This is THE main question that everyone should be asking. If this procedure is done incorrectly, it can worsen the migraines and headaches or cause your jaw muscles to misfire and ultimately cause chewing problems and possible speech problems. The other factor is that the treatment will bring relief for 3 months at which point it will need to be done again.
There is a significantly better solution, and Botox should only be used as a secondary measure in the most extreme of cases. Botox treatment will give a 35%-40% reduction in the intensity of tooth grinding and clenching, other treatment modalities can give a 75% reduction in clenching and grinding intensity for 80% of patients and therefore offer much better success rates for the treatment of migraines and tension headaches. It's the 20% of patients who don't respond particularly well to other forms of treatment who would benefit from Botox injections along side other treatments.
Many people also find that they feel tired and exhausted when they wake up in the mornings, and an extra hours' worth of sleep actually makes them feel worse. This is all related to tooth grinding. Most people who have treatment also find that their energy levels return and the feeling of exhaustion goes within weeks.
If you suffer with the misery of migraines and tension headaches, and want a solution to reduce them significantly or eliminate them, I can reassure you that I have been trained by some of the top US dentists in migraine therapy and offer a number of different solutions to deal with even the most difficult cases. I used to suffer with migraines twice a month myself, and have not had one for 2 years – Dr Pav Khaira
To find out how we can help, call us on 01302 325678
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