By Alexander Germanis
The medical field is no stranger to adopting and adapting things previously thought of as harmful into something beneficial. Petroleum jelly — better known by the brand name of Vaseline — is one such example. The botulinum toxin that makes food from a bulging can so dangerous to eat is another.
At first appropriated by the cosmetic industry to slow the signs of aging, this toxin — since given the shortened name of Botox — has a far more medicinal application than simply erasing wrinkles; it can be used to fight chronic migraines.
But as Dr. Ramsin Benyamin, founder of Millennium Pain Center in Bloomington, pointed out in the last part of the series, most of the tools of modern medicine do little to actually cure ailments. This is certainly the case with the perpetually mysterious malady of migraines.
“In recent years,” the doctor says, “Botox has become a good alternative — not to cure migraines, but to reduce the number of attacks and reduce the intensity of the attacks.” Much like the popular cosmetic procedure, Botox is injected directly into the face.
The concept of getting facial injections may not sound like a pleasing alternative to having a migraine, but the doctor assures not only is it not a complicated procedure, but in the right hands, it is also a very benign one. Plus, the length of time it has shown to be effective in staving off migraines is quite exceptional. “It usually lasts about three months,” Dr. Benyamin states. “So, it can be repeated every three months.”
Four treatments a year could result in a solid year with no migraines. While this timeline may not be the case for every individual, for the average migraine sufferer it could be the best option. “So far, I would say,” he adds, “the evidence and results we have on the use of Botox are stronger than any other intervention in this field.”
As Dr. Benyamin continues to elucidate, the medical applications of Botox are myriad. “It’s good for spasticity, too — for people who have had a stroke or have spasticity of the arm,” he says. It has also proven effective against tremor, or the uncontrolled, rhythmic shaking of the extremities, most commonly the hands. It has also been injected into the vocal chords to fight vocal chord paralysis.
Other headache types, such as occipital neuralgia, have also seen improvements from the use of the botulinum toxin. Occipital neuralgia is typified by an ache at the base of the skull, with shooting, sharp pains felt along the scalp. Botox injections help block the overactive nerve impulses responsible for this pain.
Even though Botox is now seeing success in the fight against migraines and other ailments, it is just one of the many methods once employed in other areas that are now being repurposed to bring relief to those who suffer.
To learn more about other investigational methods currently being employed to fight migraines and other types of headaches, read “Troubleshooting Migraines, Part 5” in next month’s issue of Healthy Cells Magazine.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Millennium Pain Center at 309-662-4321, www.millenniumpaincenter.com. The office is located at 1015 S. Mercer Ave. in Bloomington. The practice provides the most advanced and comprehensive pain management for a wide variety of conditions, including a new treatment for knee osteoarthritis. Drs. Benyamin and Vallejo have been selected among 70 of the Best Pain Physicians in America.