What is a migraine?
A migraine is more than just a bad headache. It is a debilitating syndrome with symptoms that last between four and 72 hours and may include:
- A severe, recurring throbbing sensation that may be unbearable
- Visual disturbances
- Auditory disturbances
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
- Extreme sensitivity to sound, light, touch, and smell
- Tingling or numbness in the extremities or face
What is chronic migraine?
Chronic migraine is defined as 15 or more headache days a month, each lasting four hours or more. About 2 percent of the United States population has chronic migraines.
What causes migraines?
Migraines may be triggered by many things, including:
- Stress
- Eating certain foods or skipping meals
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Changes in weather or barometric pressure
- Hormonal changes in women
- Sound, light, and smells
- Concussions
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Physical exertion
How does Botox treat chronic migraines?
Botox® is a prescription medicine that is injected to prevent headaches in adults with chronic migraine who have 15 or more days each month with headaches lasting four or more hours each day in people 18 years or older.
Summit’s chronic migraine specialists have experience in the preventive treatment of chronic migraine, which may help adult patients reduce the number of headache days per month.
What can I expect from a Botox injection for chronic migraine?
Botox injections are given in your doctor’s office and take no longer than a regular doctor visit. The needles used are small and may feel like tiny pinpricks; you may experience mild discomfort. Injections can be on the right and left sides of the head as well as in the back of the head and neck. Retreatment is recommended once every 12 weeks, on average.
Preparing for your appointment
Recording headache days can help you understand how treatment is going. Many people keep diaries or calendars to track the number and intensity of headaches they experience. It can be helpful to keep a headache diary as you start your treatment. As you begin to have fewer headache days, you can keep track of your progress and stay motivated.
More about Botox for chronic migraine:
Botox: Important Safety Information
Headache diary
Summit Orthopedics offers comprehensive spine expertise
Summit’s spine care team is recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance for the comprehensive expertise of our patient-centered care. Our back specialists diagnose spine problems and design custom treatment plans built on a conservative, nonsurgical approach. Most patients find relief through treatments including guided injections, specialized physical therapy, biofeedback, exercise, activity modification, and medication. When conservative care does not relieve symptoms, our highly skilled surgeons offer proven, evidence-based surgical options. Together with you, we will determine the right course of action.
Start your journey to a healthy spine. Find your spine expert, request an appointment online, or call us at (651) 968–5201 to schedule a spine consultation.
Summit has convenient locations across the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin. We have state-of-the-art centers for comprehensive orthopedic care in Eagan, MN, Vadnais Heights, MN, and Woodbury, MN, as well as additional community clinics throughout the metro and southern Minnesota.
More resources for you
- Visit our Spine Exercise Library for options to help ease neck and back pain
- See Summit’s treatment options for neck, back, and spine care
- Check out additional information on Summit’s approach to spine care
