Botox is the most effective preventive treatment for chronic migraine headaches. It is also the only treatment approved by the FDA for this condition, which affects 3 to 4 million Americans.
Despite the wide use of Botox for cosmetic indications, many people still have unfounded fears of this procedure. Some are afraid of the fact that it is a toxin and indeed, in large amounts it is deadly. However, acetaminophen (Tylenol) kills over 500 people every year, which is significantly more than all the deaths from Botox given to millions of people in over the 25 years that Botox has been on the market. There has been no deaths reported when Botox was used for headaches or cosmetic reasons. Botox is not free of side effects, but they tend to be mild and transient.
Another fear is that the procedure is painful and very unpleasant. I recorded this video of me injecting one of my patients (with her permission) so that you can see what the procedure looks like. It took me 3 minutes and 41 seconds from start to finish and, as you can see, with little discomfort.
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