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Permanent Migraine Cure

jambo372

Graduate Poster
J
Joined
Aug 26, 2004
Messages
1,200
I have read reports and watched programmes stating that many people who regularly suffered severe migraines recovered fully after undergoing cosmetic treatment with Botox jabs.

Supposedly the deadly Clostridial neurotoxin from which it is made, botulinum toxin (supposedly the most deadly biological poison available, a small cupful is enough to successfully wipe out the human race) destroys certain nerve endings which have recently been found to cause migraines in susceptible people.

A study has found that one in three people were migraine free after a single dose. However, the surgeon must be extremely careful when giving it as incorrect administration has been known to cause full blown botulism.

Could this replace conventional treatment ?
 
Possibly.

How about some controlled trials to test the hypothesis and make sure it is correct or not. How would you suggest these be designed, Jambo?
 
I hadn't heard that botox was a permanant cure. I thought it wore off just like using botox for wrinkles. It's my understand that eventually botox will stop being effective as the body adjusts to it.

I also don't know if botox would work for people like me, whose migraines are hormonally related, since the botox isn't affecting the hormones triggering the migraine.
 
I think it's still in testing.

How would I suggest it be tested ?
Get a handful of roughly 60-100 people suffering from this particular type of migraine.
Get the same number of people in another group (also migraine sufferers).

Administer Botulinum toxin type A to one group in standard doses and placebo to the second group.

Get both groups to come for follow up a few months later, note results.

Check if results are statistically significant.

Also organise a trial with already accepted treatment instead of placebo.

Repeat tests. Analyse side-effects.
 
From Pubmed


Botulinum toxin A has been suggested to be effective in the prophylactic treatment of migraine. However, only very few randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies are available. We designed such a study with a specific focus on different injection sites. Sixty patients with a migraine according to the criteria of the International Headache Society were randomly assigned to receive either placebo in the frontal and neck muscles, or to receive 16 U botulinum toxin A in the frontal muscles and placebo in the neck muscles, or to receive in total 100 U botulinum toxin A in the frontal and neck muscles. The observation period was 3 months. In both treatment groups, 30% of patients showed a reduction of migraine frequency in month 3 by at least 50% compared with baseline, in the placebo group 25% of the patients showed such a reduction (P = 0.921). There were no significant differences between the three study groups with respect to reduction of migraine frequency, number of days with migraine, and the number of total single doses to treat a migraine attack. In the post hoc analysis, the reduction of all accompanying symptoms was significantly higher in the 16 U treatment group compared with the placebo group. In the 100 U treatment group significantly more adverse events occurred compared with the placebo group. All adverse events were mild and transient. Our study did not show any efficacy of botulinum toxin A in the prophylactic treatment of migraine. Only accompanying symptoms were significantly reduced in the 16 U but not in the 100 U treatment group. Future studies should focus on the efficacy of botulinum toxin A in specific subgroups of patients, on the efficacy of repetitive injections, and on other injection sites.
Click to expand...
 
jambo372 said:
I think it's still in testing.

How would I suggest it be tested ?
Get a handful of roughly 60-100 people suffering from this particular type of migraine.
Get the same number of people in another group (also migraine sufferers).

Administer Botulinum toxin type A to one group in standard doses and placebo to the second group.

Get both groups to come for follow up a few months later, note results.

Check if results are statistically significant.

Also organise a trial with already accepted treatment instead of placebo.

Repeat tests. Analyse side-effects.
Click to expand...

The main problem with that approach is that you couldn't blind it. You'd know who got the real botox - they'd be the ones without wrinkles! :D
 
Yes. And meditation. And Imitrex. At this point, I don't think anything is going to help except menopause.
 
Lisa

Have youheard of the new study on Butterbur?? I haven''t looked at the study, just heard of it on the news the other day. Might be worth looking at.
 
Hi Lisa
Just clinical, anecdotal input....have you tried oral contraceptives? I've seen them make a huge difference in some women.
 
Yes, although it was 15+ years ago. It made the migraines worse, far more painful than they normally are, which is really saying something.
 
yes. that's the other response I've seen.

Although today's pills might be better tolerated.

But before you do anything that drastic, I assume you have eliminated all the dietary triggers?
 
Yes--the only dietary trigger I have is aged cheese and I have to eat a fair amount to get a headache. These migraines are almost exclusively three days mid-cycle and three days at the end of my cycle. My mom and grandma had them as well.
 
well, menopause will be a blessing.

I'll let you know if I come across anything else.
 
Regarding Jambos original report, I have recently read a bit more than this even.

What was figured out was the some types of Migraines are caused by muscle tension around skull. And that botox offered temporary relief just while those muscles were paralyzed. However, once the proper muscle was identified with botox, it could surgically altered/cut/removed/etc for permenant relief. I don't think it was 100% relief in most cases, but as least a large reduction in freqencies and severity of Migraine episodes.

This isn't the story I read (the one I read had alot more detail), but here is a link.

http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_fullstory.asp?id=28183
 
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