Migraine
What is migraine?
Migraine is a complex neurological disorder characterised by episodes of moderate-to-severe headache. The symptoms can persist for hours or even days and significantly impact quality of life.
Common symptoms
Migraine may cause or be associated with any of the following symptoms:
- moderate to severe headache,
- neck pain,
- nausea and/or vomiting,
- sensitivity to light,
- sensitivity to sound,
- temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction.
Botulinum toxin injections
Botulinum toxin is a purified protein extracted under controlled laboratory conditions. Available brands are Botox®, Dysport® and Xeomin®. For migraine alone, 31 injections are performed across the forehead, scalp, neck and shoulders. The goal of this treatment is to reduce the frequency and severity of the headache.
Interestingly for some patients with migraine and associated neck pain or stiffness, the migraine may improve with neck injections alone. For these patients, the typical migraine protocol may not be required. At NeuroRehabilitation Sunshine Coast, Dr Jennings-Bell is able to perform these injections under ultrasound-guidance. This improves the accuracy of the procedure.
Following the procedure the symptoms usually begin to improve after a few days and the relief can last for 10-12 weeks. Repeat injections are usually required for ongoing benefit with around 3 treatment cycles required before reaching your maximum relief.
Goals of treatment
Common goals for patients with migraine may include:
- Reduce the severity of headache
- Reduce the frequency of headache
- Reduce neck pain
- Reduce use of other pain medications
- Improve quality of life
- Improve sleep quality
