History of Botox Treatment and Nerve Blocks

In 2000, Dr. Bahman Guyuron first published his observation that the cosmetic surgery known as a “brow-lift” also appeared to improve or eliminate chronic headache problems in a large majority of his patients who had experienced head pain before surgery. Interestingly, these were not patients having surgery for headaches. These were patients having brow-lifts to eliminate forehead wrinkles. Elimination of their head pain was an unexpected bonus and a new discovery.

While treating wrinkles through botox injections physicians have noticed a surprising extra benefit: some patients whose brows were injected for wrinkles noted that their headaches disappeared! Based on these findings, further research has been done [Link to Research] which has led to our current treatment methods.

Some migraine headaches may be triggered by a simple mechanical problem, the compression of a nerve in the brow or posterior scalp. In its simplest terms, decompressing these nerve branches through botox and nerve blocks is similar to loosening a tie that is too tight. The procedures paralyze muscles that were once irritating.

Published research articles on surgical treatment of migraines