Botulinium toxin for chronic migraines
Botulinum toxin is a prescription medicine that is injected intramuscularly in the head and neck to prevent headaches in adults with chronic migraine who have 15 or more days each month with headache lasting 4 or more hours each day in people 18 years or older.
155 units of Botulinum toxin is injected intramuscularly over 31 sites. This is a safe procedure done in the office every 90 days.
Side effects include itching, rash, red itchy welts, wheezing, asthma symptoms, or dizziness or feeling faint. These are rare and most people tolerate the procedure well. The mechanism of action is by causing a mild neuromuscular blocking, temporarily weakening the muscles of the head and neck. The effects wear off and have to repeated every 90 days.
Botulinum toxin is currently approved for the prophylactic treatment of adult chronic migraine in approximately 67 countries, including the USA, Europe countries, Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Korea and Russia.
