Botox can help with managing migraines

Elizabeth Kanna suffered through her first migraine as a young teenager.

"I thought I was having a stroke," says Kanna, 52. "The pain is debilitating."

Over the years, Kanna has managed her migraines with over-the-counter and prescription medications, homeopathic remedies and acupuncture.

She finally found relief from a drug known for erasing wrinkles: Botox.

The FDA approved the botulism toxin last month for people who have chronic migraines, which means the injections are now more likely to be covered by insurance.

"In America, we have about 3 million people we think might have chronic migraines and have suffered for years," says Adam J. Scheiner, a Tampa laser eyelid and facial plastic surgeon who treats Kanna's migraines with Botox. "I think when this gets out there and people start to know about it, a lot of patients are going to find relief."

Scheiner says he believes Botox works by interrupting communication between the pain receptors and the brain. To relieve migraines, the toxin is injected into specific muscles in the forehead, neck and shoulders.

The entire procedure takes about 10 to 15 minutes; the cost starts at around $350. Relief can come in a matter of days and last several months.

Scheiner says he's already treated more than 100 migraine sufferers who have reported an improvement in their headaches following the Botox injections. "In my experience, I have lots of patients that I've treated over the years with Botox, and I think it really treats the two most common headaches, migraine headaches and also tension headaches," he says.

Kanna flies to Tampa from her home in California to get injections every four to five months. She likes not having to rely on pain medication for her headaches, particularly since heart issues forced her to stop taking migraine medication.

"The first time I got the injections, I didn't get a migraine for two months," says Kanna, who believes her migraines have improved by about 90 percent since she started getting treatment with Botox.

There is one side effect of the medication most patients don't seem to mind: It also smoothes their frown lines and foreheads.

"It's a cure for migraines, and you look five years younger," Kanna says. "That part is really nice."

Scheiner also uses Botox to treat patients who suffer from hemifacial spasms, a rare facial disorder that causes involuntary twitching, as well as eye muscle disorders, excessive sweating and overactive bladders.

"There are a lot of places where Botox is being used," he says. "We don't even really know what the future holds for this. It's really quite a medication."