Botox/Dysport for migraine headaches

The first treatment will take about 20 minutes.

The doctor uses a very small needle that feels like a pinprick. He then injects small amounts of Botox or Dysport into specific muscles in the face, head, neck and shoulders.

A treatment typically involves 20-30 injections into head and neck muscles.

1.  It prevents activation of pain networks in the brain:
   
   Botox/Dysport is injected around the pain fibres that are involved in headaches. It enters the nerve endings around where it is injected and blocks the release of chemicals involved in pain transmission.
   
   
2.  It decreases the function of the muscles that may cause the headaches.

It is important to note that Botox/Dysport is not always 100% effective in treating all types of Migraines or chronic headaches.

In a large number of cases the results of the treatment are excellent. In other cases there is little improvement or it only reduces the frequency of the headaches.

Botox/Dysport aims to prevent migraine headaches before they start, but it takes time to work. There may be results after one treatment but often the full effect of the treatment is after two or three treatments that are spaced about 3-4 months apart.

It is best to have treatments every 3-4 months. With time these treatments may be able to be spaced further apart.