Botox: A Miracle Drug for Chronic Migraine

Headache is a common human ailment. Migraine is a recurrent and distressing headache that often impairs the quality of life. Uncontrolled and chronic migraine is a huge financial burden to the individual and to the country’s economy. The data from high quality studies have shown efficacy of botulinum toxin injections in chronic migraine. Based on these data, in 2010, Botox was approved for chronic migraine in Europe and by FDA for use in the US. This chapter discusses the role of botulinum therapy in primary headaches, migraine and tension headache. It also provides information on the limited data published on secondary headaches such as those occurring after head injury. Information on different techniques of botulinum toxin injection for treatment of chronic migraine is also provided. The results of botulinum therapy for migraine are compared with the results of pharmacological therapy in migraine including the newer drugs introduced to the market over the past 10 years.