Posts Tagged ‘Botox’

Still on the Fence about Botox for Headache Relief? Read what Scientists and Skeptics have to Say

Monday, May 2nd, 2011


 


 

More chronic migraine headache patients are using Botox as a migraine treatment, but skeptics still worry about reported side effects linked with Botox injections. Do you suffer from low cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) headaches? If so, researchers are convinced that regular injections of Botox treatments can end your pounding migraine headache symptoms for good. Even if the headaches which plague you aren’t specifically CSF headaches, there’s still a good chance that Botox health benefits still apply to you, according to scientists like Michal Cutrer, M.D., a Mayo Clinic neurologist.
STILL ON THE FENCE ABOUT BOTOX FOR HEADACHE RELIEF? READ WHAT SCIENTISTS AND SKEPTICS HAVE TO SAY, WWW.MIGRAVENT.COM

Scientific study finds that Botox injections excel at providing headache relief

A recent study focused on a chronic headache patient who had been suffering from low cerebrospinal fluid headaches for over 20 years. CSF headaches are caused by leakage of cerebrospinal fluids, causing a decrease in brain pressure while the patient is standing or sitting upright. CSF headache symptoms vary according to the severity of the condition. In this study, the patient had been experiencing excruciating pain for half of her lifetime.

Because of the nature of CSF headaches, the sufferer can only experience headache relief while lying completely flat. According to the World Headache Alliance, migraine headaches such as CSF are among the top 20 causes of disability.

Migraine Pop Quiz: How Well do you Understand your Headaches?

Dr. Cutrer has been testing the effects of Botox headache treatments on migraine patients with low cerebrospinal fluids. What he discovered was that Botox injections were able to relieve pain more effectively than any other migraine treatment. On a scale of 1 to 10, with a 10 being the most debilitating level of pain, patients who received Botox treatments went from an 8 to a 2 or 3.

Dr. Cutrer is quick to point out that Botox treatments are not a cure for migraine headaches; once the patient stops treatment, the headaches will return.

Are there any dangerous side effects associated with Botox treatments?

There have been several allegations and studies which have pointed to negative side effects of frequent Botox usage. Recently, Allergan, a manufacturer of Botox, was sued and settled for over $200 million in a case which attempted to link Botox with the brain damage of a senior citizen. Others have reported side effects such as bruising, speech impediments and skin rash. And recently, a study published by Social Psychological and Personality Science made the claim that overuse of Botox injections can lead to emotional problems.

Read: Considering Botox for Headache Relief? Read This First…

While the FDA stands behind the decision to approve the use of Botox for chronic migraine treatment, patients are still warned about possible adverse reactions. According to the warning label, botulinum toxins can leak to other parts of the body and produce symptoms similar to botulism, such as difficulty breathing, and can be life-threatening.

Also read: New Study Warns against Taking these Painkillers with Antidepressants

Sources:

Huffington Post, LA Times, FDA

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Botox for Migraines: Is it Safe?

Friday, March 25th, 2011

In case you haven’t heard, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved Botox as a potential treatment for migraines–and now you too can relieve your migraines with this popular cosmetic treatment. But is it safe? Today we’re going to review if Botox is a safe treatment for your migraines.

Botox’s Safety for Migraine Relief

Is Botox safe for migraines?Botox can help treat migraines, but is it necessarily safe? According to Drugs.com, the Internet’s leading source on medications, it may be unsafe.

According to the website, “adverse events occur within the first week following injection of Botox and while generally transient, may have a duration of several months or longer.” During one clinical trial, Botox caused mild to severe side effects in up to two percent of participants.

The actual injection of the medication caused the most immediate side effects. Swelling, pain and inflammation at the injection site were commonly reported, as well as localized bleeding or bruising. However, most of these effects were transient–they rarely lasted or caused any significant pain.

Unfortunately for migraine sufferers, one of Botox’s most common side effects was a migraine attack, affecting up to five percent of participants who experienced side effects. Other common side effects reported were neck pain, muscular weakness and bronchitis, affecting less than four percent of people who experienced side effects. Rarely, people experienced jaw pain, edema and eye problems, some of which included eye infections. This occurred in less than one percent of participants who experienced side effects.

The toxin in Botox, called onabotulinumtoxinA, can also cause allergic reactions in some people. Signs of an allergic reaction may include hives, chest tightness, swelling of the lips, tongue, or mouth and breathing problems. This could be life-threatening–a severe allergic reaction could lead to seizures or paralysis. Any allergic reactions to this drug require immediate medical treatment.

Good news, however: aside from the allergic reactions, most of these side effects were transient. People were rarely hospitalized for these side effects. In some instances, however, Botox did worsen their migraines, necessitating the need for hospitalization and immediate medical treatment to relieve the pain. Most people do not have to worry about this affecting them, however.

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