Chronic Migraine Treatment with Botox

How does Botox work to treat Chronic Migraine?

At Beauty Within, we offer therapeutic Botox® treatment for Chronic Migraine. Botox® Therapeutic has been approved by Health Canada for the treatment of chronic migraine headaches since 2011. Candidacy for treatment is dependent upon physician assessment and fulfilling criteria for treatment.

Botox® is indicated for the prophylaxis of headaches in adult patients with Chronic Migraine (≥ 15 days per month with headache lasting 4 hours a day or longer).

This treatment is performed only by healthcare providers with proper training and experience, according to a specific protocol called PREEMPT. Both Dr. Tetelbaum and her nurses have completed training and have experience with administering this treatment.

The PREEMPT protocol is a precise set of injections (31-39 injections sites) divided across 7 specific head and neck muscle areas. Extra injections can be given to target the most painful zones specific to you.

We recommend you create a headache diary for three months prior to your consultation to track the frequency of your migraines and to bring this with you to your consultation with Dr. Tetelbaum.

Benefits:

Non-invasive.
No anaesthetic required and most patients report very little discomfort.
Minimal downtime (patients must adhere to Post Care Instructions for best results)
Migraine attacks are less severe.
Migraine attacks are easier to control with acute treatments.
Tolerance to triggers is higher.
Better day-to-day functioning overall and improved quality of life.

Results:

Individual results may vary.
The effect of Botox is not felt immediately after the injections. It takes 7 to 10 days on average.
Effects usually last 10-12 weeks.
Some patients who respond very well to Botox may eventually space their treatments every 4 months without a recurrence of symptoms.
If you decide not to have any more treatment, the Botulinum Toxin will naturally be metabolized by your body, and the effects will fade away.

Who Should Not Receive Treatment with Botulinum Toxin?

Botulinum Toxin is not recommended for use in pregnant or lactating women, as well as anyone who has had an allergic reaction to the drug or any of its active ingredients. Botulinum Toxin cannot be used if you have an infection in the muscles or an open wound/area of the skin where it would normally be injected; you have any muscle disorders in other parts of your body, including myasthenia gravis, Eaton Lambert Syndrome or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Side Effects

Common and minor side effects include:

Redness, local irritation, swelling, itching, discomfort, facial pain, neck/shoulder pain, eye swelling, local weakness, minor bruising at the injection sites, risk of infection, and headache.
Eyelid/eyebrow ptosis (droop). If this occurs, it will always resolve.

Rare side effects include:

Allergic reaction (including anaphylaxis), trouble swallowing, respiratory distress, seizures, facial paralysis, localized muscle twitches, tiredness.

This is not a complete list of side effects. For more information, please see product monographs.

**Please contact the clinic immediately if you experience side effects beyond one week. We can be reached at: 519-266-3642 or [email protected]

If you are experiencing an URGENT medical emergency such as anaphylaxis, shortness of breath or severe swelling, please call 911 immediately.

How Much Does Botox Chronic Migraine Treatment Cost?

Botox® treatments for Chronic Migraine are not covered by OHIP, however private insurance may cover all or a portion of the treatment (the drug itself).

For your insurance company to approve Botox®, you need to have tried other treatments first. This means you need to have tried other preventative treatments for chronic migraines. If those previous treatments did not help your chronic migraines, your insurance will usually cover Botox.

There is an injection fee of $175 + tax. This is not covered by insurance plans, but may be considered a medical expense and may be claimed on your tax return.

Consultations are complimentary. A referral is not required.