What an excellent product, Botox. Just think about it, by using just one solution, you can deal with numerous problems: starting from facial lines prevention and ending with various medical conditions, like overactive bladder syndrome or chronic migraines. The last one is what we want to talk about today.
As you know, different types of headaches vary based on the affected area, their intensity, durability, etc. Occipital neuralgia pain occurs in the back of one’s head, and the main reason for it is usually the inflammation of the occipital nerve that carries pain signals to the nerve. More about the Botox treatment used for chronic migraine patients, as well as some other important details about the procedure, can be found below. Let’s begin!
The working principle of Botox injections for chronic migraines
As we have already described, occipital neuralgia also referred to as occipital migraine, is a condition in which people feel excruciating pain in the back and the top of their heads. It can often be followed by nausea, weakness, loss of appetite, and other unfortunate complications, which are unfavorable for one’s lifestyle and general comfort.
This one is slightly different from a traditional chronic migraine we all know plenty about; while the first one can be triggered by various factors, the occipital one is caused by nerve blocks or tight muscles in the neck area. Sometimes, the reason may also hide behind untreated head or neck injuries.
Botox injections are aimed at blocking pain signals from the brain so the pain receptors around the head and neck are not triggered. Not to mention that it’s able to reduce inflammations in the nerve clusters affected by the condition, which provides long-lasting pain relief.
How effective is Botox for migraine pain caused by occipital nerves?
According to conducted studies, botulinum toxin injections are excellent in providing a significant reduction related to sharp pain caused by the occipital nerve block. The best injection areas are located around the back of the head and neck.
The best way to order this product for the clinic is to buy Botox wholesale at Fillersupplies. In this way, specialists can save their money and receive any amount of the solution needed to treat their patients.
One’s well-being showed great improvement two-three weeks after the first injection session and lasted up to twelve weeks, which is a pretty great option for those who constantly suffer from head and neck pain and want to see a significant boost in their life quality.
Recommended injection spots to deal with migraine headaches
In order to create a unique treatment plan suitable for a person’s request and health problem, it is crucial to have a consultation before the Botox injection itself to see whether it’ll be effective for their needs and fulfill all the expected results. It is also essential to calculate the dosage of the remedy and the approximate number of treatment sessions so a patient knows the exact price for the treatment and some basic expectations from the procedure.
Typically, 31 injections (5 units of botulinum toxin each) is the average amount of remedy for this type of headache medicine. This gets us to approximately 155 units of Botox required to provide much-needed relief for occipital nerve blocks. But what are the administration spots for the product able to include all the trigger points?
- Back of the head;
- Temples;
- Forehead;
- Upper back;
- Upper neck;
- An upper bridge above the nose.
What patient should expect during the procedure?
Botox procedures are typically painless and don’t cause discomfort, whether used to get rid of regular headaches, cervical dystonia, or facial wrinkles. Most pain patients may feel is a tiny sting the moment the needle punctures the skin. An ice pack or a special massaging technique can be used after the injection session to ensure no severe side effects occur afterward.
Some patients request a topical anesthetic on the medication administration just to ensure no pain is experienced. Mainly, it comes from those with low pain tolerance, and there’s nothing to be ashamed of. Pain is not the mandatory part of the procedure, so there’s nothing wrong with asking for extra pain relief.
The results of Botox treatments start fading away after approximately a few months post-injection, and that’s where specialists recommend having an additional appointment to make sure excruciating pain won’t come back again, and annoying migraine episodes are under control for much longer.
The most common side effects
Like any other procedure in the migraine prevention field, Botox injections can be followed by certain adverse reactions. Even though they usually don’t cause too much trouble, it is still better to be aware of them and know what to do if any of them occur. So, typically people experience these side effects after the injection session:
- Droopy eyelids;
- Headache;
- High sensitivity in the injection spot;
- Drooling;
- Dry eyes;
- Swelling;
- Redness and other signs of irritation.
Those are typically gone in a few days without a doctor’s assistance. However, if they still present a week after the appointment, or if any signs of severe adverse effects occur, we highly recommend talking to a medical professional to make sure everything is okay and there’s nothing that threatens a patient’s health.
There are also a few limitations that we believe should be informed to individuals before the treatment session. First of all, pregnant and breastfeeding should consider another option to stop muscle spasm due to the unknown nature of Botox’s effect on their well-being. It is not recommended to try botulinum toxin if a person is allergic to proteins found in cow’s milk. And, of course, don’t forget about the known sensitivity to Botox ingredients, which is also why the treatment may be contraindicated to an individual.
To sum up the topic of Botox for occipital headaches
Botulinum toxin injections are among the most popular and helpful migraine medications known in today’s medical field. The easy performance of the procedure, fast and durable results, and affordable price make this option one of the most preferable among both patients and doctors. We really hope you’ve found all the answers you needed in this article. Stay safe and be well!