Mitigating migraine misery with Botox

Medical studies have suggested that people trying to find relief from migraines often make numerous attempts using various techniques. Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that about 15 percent of the U.S. population suffers from migraines or severe headaches, including nearly 20 percent of all women.

A UT Southwestern Medical Center plastic surgeon is helping to pioneer the use of wrinkle-fighting Botox, which temporarily weakens muscles, to identify which nerves or trigger points are causing pain. He then performs surgery to decompress the involved nerves, which in turn lead to migraine headache relief in more than 90 percent of patients.

“If patients get a benefit from the Botox, they likely will get a benefit from the surgery,” says Dr. Jeffrey Janis, one of only about a dozen surgeons in the world who perform the technique. “This novel treatment is still in its infancy, but it can be effective and more lasting for some people who have not found traditional treatments that work.”

Dr. Janis performs the technique only on patients who have been diagnosed with migraines by a neurologist.

Visit http://www.utsouthwestern.org/plasticsurgery  to learn more about
UT Southwestern’s clinical services in plastic surgery.

Media Contact: Russell Rian

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