Botox cures migraines - what next?
Article Source: HealthSnare.com
The anti-ageing properties of have long been heralded as a miracle in attempts to turn back the hands of time and keep well-worn faces looking young. More recently, it was discovered that the treatment can also cure excessive sweating. Now it seems that Botox may also be a helpful ally in the battle against chronic migraines, as demonstrated by its recent approval for treatment of the condition in the UK by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.
Little is known about the cause of migraines, but the effects are well documented and are known all too well by sufferers of the condition. Throbbing pains on one side of the head for long durations are often accompanied by nausea and acute sensitivity to light. Transcending gender, age and race, migraines are more common than one might expect, and are estimated to affect 20% of women and 6% of men at some point in their lifetimes.
Treatments for the condition are available, but these are often ineffective. Furthermore, constant use of painkillers can actually make the migraines worse.
Botox - the new migraine cure?
The good news for migraine sufferers is that recent medical trials by Allergan, the California-based producer and patent holder of Botox, have shown conclusively that Botox can help in significantly reducing the number and severity of Migraine attacks experienced by sufferers.
The clinical trials were conducted over the course of a year on 1,384 adult patients who reported suffering from acute headaches on 15 or more days a month prior to the trial, of which at least half could be classed as migraines.
One group of patients received regular injections of Botox in their heads and necks, while the other group was injected with a placebo. By the 56th week of the trial, approximately 70% of those treated with Botox reported suffering from only half or even less the number of migraine days they had prior to taking part in the study. A significant improvement was also found in the quality of life scores in the group taking Botox compared to those taking only a placebo.
On a press release on Allergan's website, Professor Peter Goodsby of the UCL Institute of Neurology states, "Botox treatment has been shown to reduce the frequency of headaches/migraines, which can bring important benefits for patients. Patients with frequent chronic migraines have long required evidence-based approaches and this announcement offers them a new option."
Meanwhile, Wendy Thomas, Chief Executive of The Migraine trust, commented, "chronic migraine is currently under-researched, under-diagnosed and under-treated...We welcome new therapies, especially preventative medication for this potentially disabling condition."
These developments and the treatment's clinical approval by the MHPRA offer new hope for all those affected by the pain and misery of chronic migraines. In the US, where botox is currently used to treat spasms and a range of other conditions, the federal Food and Drug Administration looks set to follow suit later this month in approving its use for the treatment of migraines.
The migraine treating properties of Botox were first discovered by chance when it was revealed that patients undergoing Botox surgery for anti-ageing cosmetic reasons had been suffering from noticeably less headaches than they had previously. Clinical research on the theory and application of this began as early as 1999.
The real question however is, what will Botox be used to cure next?
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Gill Grozier
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Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2010 Time: 3:38 PM
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