Help prevent headache days in the new year
The start of a new year is a busy time for everyone. Between celebrating with friends and family, jumping back in at the office after time off for the holidays, and getting a start on those New Year’s resolutions, Americans are busy and raring to go. But people with Chronic Migraine are left worrying about when their next headache day will strike.
Many people get headaches from time to time. But those living with Chronic Migraine can spend at least half of each month with a headache. Different from episodic migraine, Chronic Migraine is a distinct neurologic condition defined as having 15 or more headache days each month, each lasting four hours or more, with at least eight of those headache days being associated with migraine.
Kelly has lived with Chronic Migraine since her early 20s. Living with this condition means that half of every month is spent dealing with debilitating headaches.
In a study with 512 patients, only approximately 25% of patients who meet the clinical definition for Chronic Migraine were diagnosed, it’s critical to seek out a headache expert to get an accurate diagnosis and discuss treatment options. Recognizing symptoms and receiving a diagnosis is important – while there is no cure for Chronic Migraine, there are treatment options that can help. For example, BOTOX (onabotulinumtoxinA) is the first and only FDA-approved, preventive treatment in adults with Chronic Migraine (15 or more headache days a month, each lasting 4 hours or more) shown to prevent headache days before they even start.
BOTOX prevents on average 8 to 9 headache days a month (versus 6 to 7 for placebo). BOTOX is not approved for adults with migraine who have 14 or fewer headache days a month.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
BOTOX may cause serious side effects that can be life threatening. Get medical help right away if you have any of these problems any time (hours to weeks) after injection of BOTOX:
- Problems swallowing, speaking, or breathing, due to weakening of associated muscles, can be severe and result in loss of life. You are at the highest risk if these problems are pre-existing before injection. Swallowing problems may last for several months.
- Spread of toxin effects. The effect of botulinum toxin may affect areas away from the injection site and cause serious symptoms including: loss of strength and all-over muscle weakness, double vision, blurred vision and drooping eyelids, hoarseness or change or loss of voice, trouble saying words clearly, loss of bladder control, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing.
