Botox for chronic migraine at Gambhir M.D. on Central Park South, New York City. FDA-approved preventive treatment given every 12 weeks.
For people who live with frequent migraines, the burden is real. Botox is a well-established, FDA-approved treatment for chronic migraine, in use since 2010, and for the right patient it can meaningfully reduce how often headaches strike. It works as a preventive treatment, not a cure. Placed at specific points around the head, neck, and shoulders every 12 weeks, it quiets the pain nerves before a migraine can start. Most patients begin to feel a difference within two to four weeks of their first treatment, but the full benefit usually takes two or three cycles, so it is worth giving it about six months before deciding if it is working for you. In clinical studies, patients with chronic migraine averaged eight to nine fewer headache days per month by the six-month mark, and about half had a fifty percent or greater reduction in headache days. It is a real change in quality of life, but it is not zero headaches. It has been an amazing tool to improve quality of life for many of our patients across New York City.