Migraine and headache therapy
Treatment of migraine and tension headaches with botulinum toxin type A.
Migraine patients often have a long history of suffering. As a rule, various treatment options have been exhausted, mostly with little or no success. After ruling out all other treatable causes, the treatment of chronic migraine with botulinum toxin type A now represents a new therapeutic option. After botulinum toxin type A was approved for the treatment of chronic migraine in the USA and England in 2010, it is now available in almost all European countries.
Botulinum toxin type A blocks the release of a neurotransmitter in the brain. It also inhibits other neurotransmitters that activate inflammation and stimulate pain receptors. The interruption of muscular tension, which maintains the pain symptoms, also plays an important role. Botulinum toxin type A does not act on acute pain, but it can reduce the increased sensitivity to pain typical of migraine patients and protect the nervous system from triggering repeated migraine attacks.
Migraine patients who respond to this form of treatment report a reduction in the frequency, duration and intensity of attacks. Some even report complete freedom from symptoms. Botulinum toxin type A treatment is also sometimes very successful in patients with tension headaches.
The treatment of migraine and tension headaches with botulinum toxin type A requires a great deal of experience and expertise and is only performed by very few experts worldwide.
