What symptoms develop due to a migraine?
Each individual who suffers from migraines may experience different symptoms. Some have an idea of what triggers their migraines and they experience similar symptoms with each one.
Others feel helpless and their migraines symptoms change over time.
The most common symptoms associates with migraine are:
• Light sensitivity
• Sound sensitivity
• Nausea
• Pain on one side
• Vision changes including blurred vision
• Aura
• Vomiting
• Throbbing or pulsating head pain
• Severe head pain
• Difficulty concentrating
What is the difference between episodic migraine and chronic migraine?
A migraine is fourteen or fewer headache days per month with some being migraine days.
These headaches typically do not last long and have less severe pain. A chronic migraine is 15 or more headache days per month with each headache day lasting four or more hours with severe debilitating pain.
I know people who had Botox treatment for cosmetic reasons and they had to pay cash. They also said Botox is an expensive treatment therapy. Is Botox for the treatment of chronic migraines the same?
No, Botox treatment for chronic migraines is a recognized and covered treatment by most insurance companies. Depending on your specific insurance plan patients may have to pay an office visit copay while the actual Botox medication is covered in full by your insurance.
Roughly 99% of commercial insurance plans cover all or the majority of Botox costs.
If your plan does not cover the costs of Botox you may have to pay out of pocket. In this scenario we recommend signing up Botox Savings Program. The Botox Savings Program helps eligible patients receive money back on any out of pocket costs not covered by insurance.
What makes Botox for chronic migraine a different type of treatment from other headache and migraine treatments?
Traditional migraine treatments are acute migraine therapies that work to reduce the duration or symptoms of a migraine once they onset. Botox treatment for chronic migraines is a therapy that works to prevent migraines before they occur. On average one Botox treatment for chronic migraines last three months and is administered up to four times a year. Botox treatment typically takes about fifteen minutes.
I have heard of Botox as a cosmetic treatment for wrinkles but not for chronic migraines. How long has this treatment been approved?
Botox was originally developed to alleviate muscle spams then utilized as a cosmetic treatment for wrinkles. Botox has been an approved treatment to reduce monthly chronic migraines for almost ten years. Over 3.3 million Botox treatments have been given as a preventative treatment for chronic migraines. Botox is the number one prescribed branded chronic migraine treatment.
Keep Track of Your Headaches:
Utilizing a tool like the below headache tracker and noting any questions you have prior to your appointment will help a headache specialist like Dr. Ata in Frisco, Texas determine if you are a good candidate for botox for migraines:
Headache Tracker
