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Surprisingly, Botox appears to relieve hemiplegic migraines, according to a report by two neurologists from the Mayo Clinic.
They describe 5 female patients who suffered from very frequent and severe migraine headaches with four of them having chronic migraines, that is had headaches on 15 or more days each month. The headaches were preceded and/or accompanied by weakness of one side of their body. The weakness lasted only 20 minutes in one patients, but for hours and days in others. All five patients were first treated with prophylactic medications, which either did not help or caused unacceptable side effects. Botox injections were given every 3 months into the usual sites around the scalp, neck and shoulders. A total dose of 150 units was injected. Three of the patients had three sets of injections by the time of this report and they continued to respond well.
Migraine with typical visual auras has been reported to respond well to Botox injections, which is also somewhat surprising since Botox appears to work on the sensory nerves. This effect on sensory nerve endings leads to the relief of pain. It is likely that reducing painful episodes in turn leads to a calming effect on the brain in general and the brain stops generating migraines as well as symptoms associated with migraines.
I have also seen many patients with visual, sensory and motor aura respond well to Botox injections, often when prophylactic drugs had been ineffective.
