Botox For Migraines

Botox is the only drug currently FDA approved for the treatment of migraine headaches.  All other medications previously have been used “off-label” (meaning with out the FDA approval).

What Is Botox?

Botox is botulinum toxin A. It is a toxin produced from a bacteria. It is a very powerful toxin that causes weakness and paralysis of muscles. It is seen in food that was not properly canned and could cause severe medical problems for the person who consumed it.

Scientists have known about the toxin for over a 100 years. It was in the late 70s that an ophthalmologist, Dr. Alan Scott, figured out that in small doses the toxin could be used to treat strabismus or spasms of the face.

He sold Botox to Allergan and he discovered how useful the medication was for treating wrinkles.  And in the early 90s cosmetic Botox was introduced and the explosion began.  Coincidentally, after injecting the medication for years doctors started to notice patients with migraines commented they had improvement in their headaches when they got the injections (either for spasms or cosmetic).

This was proven true and approved by the FDA about 3 years ago for the treatment of chronic migraines.

Is Botox Safe?

Botox is safe.  True Botox is the same toxin that causes botulism, but the doses that we use are significantly smaller.  In fact it has been reported that the company that makes Botox, Allergan, can produce enough product to supply the entire world with only a gram of toxin.

Read the entire blog at http://www.sarasotaretinainstitute.com/2013/08/botox-for-migraines/

Source:   by Jody Abrams, M.D. on August 12, 2013 at  http://www.sarasotaretinainstitute.com/2013/08/botox-for-migraines/