The Surprising Secret Weapon for Fighting Disabling Chronic Migraines

Neurologist Dr. Ira Turner discusses how botox can help treat the 38 million Americans who suffer from migraines

By The LifeMinute Team

June 16, 2016

Thirty-eight million men, women and children in the U.S. suffer from migraines. What if you could prevent and cure these debilitating episodes? You can, using a surprising and effective tool: Botox!

Neurologist Dr. Ira Turner from Island Neurological Associates of Long Island and Laurie Jennings from Good Housekeeping put their heads together to discuss the causes, symptoms and cures for chronic migraines, a condition that sends someone in the U.S. to the emergency room every 10 seconds.

Jennings:
I think the best thing to do is start with you, Dr. Turner. Tell us, what is chronic migraine?

Turner:
Chronic migraine is an extremely disabling disorder. It occurs in patients who start out having episodic migraines which means a throbbing headache with nausea and light and noise sensitivity that can ruin your day, literally. In time this transforms to near daily headaches or at least more days with headaches than without. It requires extremely aggressive therapy.

Jennings:
So many of our readers express issues of suffering from symptoms and signs of chronic migraines but maybe they aren't aware of what they're suffering from. And we've learned that three times as many women as men suffer from chronic migraines. So since our readers are mostly women this is key. People don't have to suffer in silence, they can actually stand up to a condition like chronic migraine. Dr. Turner, what is one of the best treatment options or prevention options?

Turner:
The most important thing is getting an accurate diagnosis. Once that's been done, the only treatment that the FDA has specifically approved for chronic migraine is injecting Botox every 12 weeks according to an injection paradigm that we discovered during the clinical trials. And it's now been available since the FDA approved it in 2010. It has the highest efficacy of any treatment we've ever had for treating people with these near-daily headaches, and in addition to that it allows for better treatment for the residual headaches that still will occur periodically.

Jennings:
So for us at Good Houskeeping, education is so key, and that's why Dr. Turner is here telling us that there are treatment options available. It's very important to educate yourself. One of the best places to start if you have any questions whether you suffer from headaches, migraines, or someone in your family does check out the website botoxchronicmigraine.com. This is a great resource with tons of information around signs and symptoms, and you can find a doctor in your area as well. Again, getting an accurate diagnosis is the first step to not dealing with this disabling condition anymore.

Turner:

And again that is the most important thing. Don't be afraid to discuss this with your physician or other healthcare provider and if necessary see a neurologist or other headache specialist with specific training in chronic migraines.

For more information visit botoxchronicmigraine.com.