The FDA approved Anti-Wrinkle Injections for the prevention of migraines in October 2010. Chronic migraine sufferers experience debilitating headaches that can cause intense pulsing or throbbing pain, occurring on more than half the month and lasting for hours, greatly affecting work, family and social life. Migraines affect more women than men, and are often accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.
The first line treatment includes being prescribed various anti-migraine medications by your neurologist. Unfortunately a small sub-set of sufferers are treatment resistant and unresponsive to all medications. As a last resort, Anti-Wrinkle Injections into the forehead can be trialled which in some patients are effective as a preventative to reduce the frequency and severity of the intractable migraine attacks, and the use of pain medications.
Anti-Wrinkle Injections help migraines via muscle relaxation and its anti-pain perception action, by inhibiting the release of a chemical involved in pain perception from the nerve. Results last about three months and the treatments have no down-time. Although some sufferers experience markedly reduced symptoms, there is no guarantee that the treatment works for all patients.
The treatment is not covered by Medicare and is more expensive than oral medications. As migraine is a medical condition, a pharmaceutical benefit maybe claimable through some private health insurance extras cover, minimising your out-of-pocket expenses. If you have extras cover, please contact your individual health fund to discuss your eligibility.
Cost: $15 – $16 per unit of Anti-Wrinkle Injection, or $700 – $750 for 50 units