Feds approve use of Botox to treat chronic migraine
If you've ever had a migraine, you know how important it is to find a medication to relieve your pain.
Doctors have given Botox to migraine sufferers for years, but now federal regulators have approved using the drug for this purpose.
So what does this federal approval mean? Good Housekeeping Magazine's Executive Editor Jenny Cook says it's great news for consumers.
"The Food and Drug Administration's approval of Botox to treat severe migraine pain means people may not have to pay out of pocket, because it's more likely that insurance companies will cover it," she said. "Botox works by being taken up into the nerve where it's injected and preventing pain transmission."
Headaches every day? Headache specialist Dr. Audrey Halpern says Botox could help people who get no relief from other pain pills.
"We're talking about patients who are suffering from migraines at least 15days per month and for a substantial portion of the day," she said. "The standard protocol for injecting Botox for migraines includes injecting at approximately 31 sites in seven areas of the head, including the forehead, the temples, the back of the head and the neck."
Botox maker Allergan says in five more years, Botox may be known more for its pain-killing and other therapeutic applications than for cosmetic uses.
Doctors have given Botox to migraine sufferers for years, but now federal regulators have approved using the drug for this purpose.
So what does this federal approval mean? Good Housekeeping Magazine's Executive Editor Jenny Cook says it's great news for consumers.
"The Food and Drug Administration's approval of Botox to treat severe migraine pain means people may not have to pay out of pocket, because it's more likely that insurance companies will cover it," she said. "Botox works by being taken up into the nerve where it's injected and preventing pain transmission."
Headaches every day? Headache specialist Dr. Audrey Halpern says Botox could help people who get no relief from other pain pills.
"We're talking about patients who are suffering from migraines at least 15days per month and for a substantial portion of the day," she said. "The standard protocol for injecting Botox for migraines includes injecting at approximately 31 sites in seven areas of the head, including the forehead, the temples, the back of the head and the neck."
Botox maker Allergan says in five more years, Botox may be known more for its pain-killing and other therapeutic applications than for cosmetic uses.
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