Is There Help for My Frequent Migraines?

The frequency of your migraine headaches is at the point where half of each month, or more, is overshadowed by head pain, and you’ve had enough. 

The team of pain management specialists here at Commonwealth Pain and Spine hears you, and we want to use this month’s blog post to explore the different ways in which we can head off migraines.

The migraine problem

There are approximately four million Americans who suffer from chronic migraines, which is defined as 15 or more migraine days each month. Thanks to these large numbers, researchers have been working diligently to find effective solutions for this complex neurological disorder, and the results have been positive. While there’s still no cure for migraines, there are treatment options that can help reduce the number of days you’re waylaid by head pain.

Botox® for chronic migraines

One of the most promising treatments for chronic migraines is Botox injections. The FDA approved this neuromodulator in 2010 after extensive trials that found that Botox was able to prevent migraines from occurring in the first place — up to eight or nine migraine days per month.

While medical researchers aren’t exactly sure why Botox works so well, they believe that the neurotoxin interferes with the transmission of neurotransmitters, which are chemical messengers associated with pain.

When we deliver a Botox treatment, we inject a botulinum toxin into seven areas around your head and neck. Rest assured, we apply a topical anesthetic beforehand, and the injections take us only minutes to administer.

Your results are gradual and may take up to 10-12 weeks before you experience the full benefit. During this time, we can help you manage your migraines through medications and other treatment options.

Other treatment options for frequent migraines

While Botox is highly effective at reducing the frequency of migraines, we believe you should approach chronic migraines with a comprehensive treatment plan that might include:

• Trigger management
• Medications to manage an attack, such as triptans, gepants, or lasmiditan
• Stress reduction
• Acupuncture

If you combine your Botox treatments with some of the treatments listed above, you not only manage migraine pain more effectively, you go a long way toward preventing the headaches in the first place.

To find the best treatment plan for your frequent migraines, make an appointment with one of our pain management experts at a location near you. We have offices in St. Matthews, Elizabethtown, Lexington, Crestview Hills, Owensboro, and London, Kentucky. Indiana offices are in Evansville, Vincennes, New Albany, Carrollton, and Jasper. We also serve patients in Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio.