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Women, Migraines & Botox

839 views · Published 13 October 2014 · 2:06 · Indexed 27 October 2026

Channel: Lee Health · 2014 · Science & Technology

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Countless women swear by it as a beauty treatment, now Botox is erasing more than wrinkles. It’s taking away pain for many migraine sufferers. 

“For migraine headaches we do seven sites. Thirty-one injections, into the shoulder, the neck, both sides of the head and across the forehead,” says Dr. Wendy Bond, who is a neurologist on medical staff of Lee Memorial Health System. 

Prior to FDA approval for migraines in 2010, Page Boothby tried almost everything else.

“I’ve tried acupuncture, I’ve tried the homeopathics, I’ve tried different antidepressants, I’ve tried different blood pressure medicines. You name it, I’ve tried it. I’ve tried biofeedback, I get massages, everything,” says Boothby. 

Women are three-times more likely than men to battle these mind-bending headaches. Seventeen percent of women report migraine activity compared to 6% of men. Taking the plunge with Botox may be less of a leap for ladies who are already familiar with injections that make undesirable things disappear.

“I said I’ll try anything. If it gives me relief, I’ll try it. I have noticed a big decrease having it. It’s another line of defense. And I notice when it starts to wear off my headaches start to increase,” says Boothby. 

Researchers believe Botox interacts with neurotransmitters, diminishing or eliminating headaches.

“We’re taking just a small amounts of Botox and injecting them into each muscle. Nobody really knows why the Botox works for the migraines. It’s thought that it stops the pain signals from getting to the surface,” says Dr. Bond. 

“I have noticed a big decrease having it. When it starts to wear off, my headaches start to increase,” says Boothby. 

Botox candidates should exhaust med therapies first and have at least 15 migraines a month. For the long-suffering, this option may turn their frowns upside down. 

View More Health Matters video segments at leememorial.org/healthmatters/

Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.

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