Advice on Health

For many, especially women, Botulinum toxin type A, or simply Botox, is the wonder drug that makes wrinkles disappear. But a recent study suggests that it may also be effective against migraine. The study findings suggest that Botox injections may cut down the incidence of migraine headaches describes as crushing, eye-popping or vicelike.

The study involving clinical trials of Botox used to treat face wrinkles has come upon a correlation between the use of the drug and reduced pain due to migraine. The study findings were published in the February issue of Archives of Dermatology.

June 7-13 is National Headache Awareness Week. According to the National Headache Foundation, 20 percent of U.S. kids ages 5-17 suffer from chronic headaches. Those 10.3 million young sufferers usually experience tension-type (15 percent) or migraine headaches (5 percent).

Kids get headaches for the same reasons adults do, but young people have a harder time handling them. The National Headache Foundation educates families to know that young sufferers can “have fun, do well in school, and lead active lives.” Their new Headache U Web page was developed to give headache sufferers tools to cope on a personal level.

I spend at least eight hours a day in front of the computer. As a result, more often than not, my days end with a dull, throbbing pain behind my eyes that makes me hate light and loud sounds. My coworker gets headaches too, but her pain is at the temples instead.

Because headaches are so common, neither of us has looked into this. I guess we both assume they are an annoying part of life with no viable solution beyond aspirin and a nap.

I get major headaches often. They’re not migraines, but the pain is constant. Sometimes when I wake up from sleeping, I get them. Could this be because of food allergies? Or something else?

Expert answer:

The most common type of headache is called a tension headache, which feels like tightened muscles around the head, neck and shoulders and can last for several minutes or even days. Tension headaches are sometimes caused by stress, muscle stiffness or clenching or grinding one’s teeth. Less commonly, cluster headaches can cause sudden sharp pains repeatedly over a period of several weeks at a time. Migraine headaches are often severe enough to interfere with one’s usual activities and may be paired with vomiting or extreme sensitivity to noise or light. Sinus infections also frequently cause headaches, often on the forehead or over the cheeks, with increased pain when one leans forward or lies down.