Approximately 1 in 20 people suffer from a headache daily or nearly every day, and approximately 28 million people suffer from migraines. Whether it is migraine or tension headache, it affects our personal life, family life, work and can produce financial strain. Studies have proven that social activity and work capacity are reduced in almost all migraine sufferers and in 60% of tension headache sufferers. The impact is amazing. It is estimated that direct medical costs approach $17 billion and indirect costs are $50 billion a year. There are many different types of headaches, but the most common are tension and migraine. While most people correlate the severity of the pain with the type of headache, this just does not hold true. Tension headaches can be just as severe as migraine.
Tension headaches are often described as squeezing, pressure or “band like” around the head. They may last hours to days and can be associated with nausea and light and sound sensitivity. These are often brought on by stress, anxiety, depression, injury or holding the head in a certain position for long periods of time. Another common cause originates from pain originating in the neck and shoulders.
Migraine pain is described as pounding and is usually centered on one side of the head. They are worsened by activity and are often associated with nausea and light and sound sensitivity. This type headache usually lasts on the order of hours. These can be caused by stress, sleep changes, bright lights, food and alcohol amongst many others. Tension headaches can also trigger a migraine creating a mixed headache pattern that has characteristics of both types of headache.
Many small studies have shown the benefit of massage and manual therapy in treating and reducing both the severity and frequency of tension and migraine headaches. While a single massage may help with an acute headache, staying on a regular schedule of massage 1-2 times per month will help to prevent the headaches. Studies have shown that regular massage therapy can actually be a cost effective treatment when compared to the cost of treating the headaches otherwise. Many insurance companies have recognized these benefits and are now covering massage or manual therapy when medically indicated.
Botox, which has been used for more than a decade to treat many muscular conditions, has also been shown to provide relief for migraine and chronic tension headache sufferers. Studies have shown that up to 80% of migraine patients experienced either elimination or significant relief for 4 to 6 months. More recently, a study of 271 migraine patients, 75% of whom had failed prior treatments, found that 60.5% of the patients treated with Botox had good to excellent pain relief. And, unlike many other treatments, 90.5% of the people treated experienced no side effects from the treatment. Currently, the FDA has not approved Botox for the treatment of migraine or chronic tension headaches but further studies are underway. Although not approved, many insurance companies cover the Botox treatment when other treatments have failed.
Consultations are required to determine if BOTOX is right for you. You should not have BOTOX if you have an active infection at the desired treatment site. Those with neuromuscular disorders such as multiple sclerosis, or bleeding disorders should not undergo treatment.
