Migraine Botox
What Is It?
Migraine Botox means injecting botulinum toxin into defined points on the head and neck to reduce how often attacks come and how severe they are in chronic migraine. It is a preventive treatment; we plan it to make attacks less frequent. It does not stop an attack that has already started.
Chronic migraine is the term for headache on more than 15 days a month, with at least eight of those days showing migraine features. The distinction matters, because the treatment does not have the same place in every kind of headache. So we manage the diagnosis, the differential diagnosis and the overall treatment plan together with neurology. The treatment on this page is one part of that plan.
How Is It Done?
First we talk about your pain. How many days a month does it come, where does it start, what triggers it? I look at the preventive and acute medicines you use, the neurology assessment and any imaging results. I also note where the pain settles and where muscle tension gathers.
During treatment we give small doses with a fine needle to defined points on the forehead, temples, back of the head and neck. A session takes about 30 minutes, and you go back to your daily life the same day. First effects usually begin within 3-7 days, and the full effect settles in 2-3 weeks. The effect is reported to last 4-6 months. We decide when to repeat it by looking at your headache diary.
Who Is It For?
It comes up for people who have many painful days a month, whose medication use has become frequent and who are looking for a preventive treatment. It fits more clearly if neurology has diagnosed chronic migraine and recommended preventive treatment.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding, neuromuscular diseases such as myasthenia gravis, active infection at the treatment site, a bleeding disorder and a known allergy to botulinum toxin all change the planning. Some antibiotics and muscle relaxants can alter the effect, so I ask about each of your medicines one by one.
Process & Recovery
Assessment
We look at the pattern of your pain, how many days a month it lasts, the medicines you take and the neurology assessment. We plan the injection points accordingly.
Treatment day
We give small doses with a fine needle to defined points on the forehead, temples, back of the head and neck. The session takes about 30 minutes.
First 24 hours
The injection points may be tender, and rarely a small bruise appears. On the first day we ask you not to massage the area and to stay away from intense exercise and hot environments.
Days 3-7
First effects are usually felt in this window. We ask you to note down your painful days and the medicines you take.
Weeks 2-3 and review
The full effect settles in this period. At the review we compare your headache diary with the weeks before treatment and assess the response and the timing of a repeat accordingly.
Results & Duration
The change we expect is fewer painful days and less severe attacks. We don’t expect the pain to stop completely. This can’t be measured by feel either; it needs a record. That is why I ask you to keep a headache diary both before treatment and in the weeks after it.
First effects begin within 3-7 days, and the full effect settles in 2-3 weeks. The reported duration is 4-6 months; when the effect fades, we plan a repeat. The response varies from person to person and may not reach the expected level after the first treatment. If that happens, we review the plan together with neurology.
What Is Not Promised
Migraine Botox does not eliminate migraine and makes no promise of recovery. It does not stop an attack that has already started, and it does not take the place of acute medication. Nor is it a reason to stop the preventive treatment your neurologist has planned. Any change to your medication is that doctor’s decision.
It does not give the same result in every kind of headache. Tension-type headache and other conditions are separate matters. We make no promise about what percentage the pain will drop by, how long you will stay pain-free or how long the effect will last. It is also a different treatment from aesthetic Botox; the injection points and dose plan differ.
Key Benefits
- Fewer attack days
- Daily comfort
- Preventive approach
“With this treatment I judge the result by the headache diary. It is good to hear you say “I feel better”, but what we really look at is whether 18 painful days a month have come down to 9. We decide that together with your neurologist.”
— Dr. Sinan Akyürek
Frequently Asked Questions
What does migraine botox do?
It aims to make attacks less frequent. It is a preventive treatment meant to reduce how often attacks come and how severe they are in chronic migraine. We don’t use it to stop an attack that has already started.
What is chronic migraine?
Headache on more than 15 days a month, with at least eight of those days showing migraine features. We handle the diagnosis and differential diagnosis together with neurology.
When does the effect begin?
Usually within 3-7 days. The full effect settles in 2-3 weeks.
How long does it last and when is it repeated?
The reported duration is 4-6 months. We decide when to repeat it by comparing your headache diary.
Can I stop my medication?
That decision is your neurologist’s. This treatment is not a reason to replace planned preventive treatment.
Is it the same as aesthetic botox?
The active substance is the same; the plan is different. In aesthetic use the target is expression lines. Here we choose the points and the dose according to the pattern of your pain.
Are there side effects?
They can occur. The injection points may be tender, and rarely a small bruise appears. Temporary weakness in the neck and a temporary change in brow level are also among the reported effects.
Who needs particular care?
Pregnancy and breastfeeding, neuromuscular diseases, active infection at the site and a known allergy to the toxin change the planning. I ask about each of your medicines one by one.