The FDA-approved protocol for Botox injections for chronic migraines calls for 31 injections with 155 units of Botox. This is the protocol we teach young doctors and new injectors.
However, just like with any other medication, doctors are allowed to go “off label”, meaning that we can inject Botox for headache types and pain conditions other than chronic migraine (in which case insurance will usually not pay) and we can also adjust the number of injection sites and the total dose of Botox when treating patients with chronic migraines. I have a fair number of patients who need up to 200 units and on a very rare occasion even 300. The maximum dose allowed during a single treatment is 400 units, which is usually needed when injecting large muscles in arms and legs, like in cerebral palsy or spasticity due to strokes.
This YouTube video shows injections for chronic migraines with additional injections into the masseter muscles (at the corner of the jaw) to treat TMJ syndrome, which is also called temporomandibular disorder. Injections of the temporalis muscles in the temples, which are also involved in chewing and which are always injected for chronic migraines, also helps relieve TMJ syndrome.
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