A man from Cumbria has been given the chance to go back to work after spending nearly fifteen years off sick due to crippling migraines; Steven Howes, of Fletchertown, was left unable to hold down a job because of his condition and instead stayed at home to be a full-time dad to his two children. Thanks to pioneering Botox injections at Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary, he has seen a dramatic improvement and is currently retraining as a primary school teacher.

The 33-year-old began suffering from severe migraines after an unprovoked attack in 1998 and an accident with a tractor in 2000 left him with brain injuries that later developed into debilitating migraines. Steven said ‘The headaches used to get so bad she [wife Rebecca] would have to drop everything to come home and look after the kids because I wasn’t capable. No medication worked.’

Botox was approved for use with chronic migraines in May last year and consultant Yogendra Jagatsinh said that the infirmary had used the treatment with six patients so far, saying ‘every one of them has a seen a very good improvement.’ Steven commented that the procedure had ‘completely transformed’ his life, adding ‘I started treatment in July and my wife has not had to take a single day off work since then. I’ve wanted to be a teacher for a few years but never dreamed I’d even be able to do the training.’

People who suffer with severe migraines will now be offered Botox injections free on the NHS, to try and combat the condition; the anti-aging drug has been provisionally approved for treatment of headaches, nausea, and dizziness. Around 700,000 people struggle with chronic migraine symptoms in the UK – which is defined as having a headache every other day or a full migraine for at least eight days out of the month.

The procedure involves administering Botox to the head and neck, which then relaxes the muscles and paralyses the areas of tissue that trigger migraines. In February this year a study was published stating that there was not enough evidence to show that the injections worked in this capacity, but drugs rationing body NICE (National Institute for health and Clinical Excellence) made a dramatic U-turn on the subject and the treatment will become available provisionally in June – after the final guidelines have been completed.

At about £350 a time, the thirty injections are provided as a top-up service every three months or so, which works out at about £1,400 a year for every patient who receives them as part of on-going treatment for migraines; a price which most would agree is not too much to deal with this debilitating illness. It has been recommended that Botox be used only after at least three other medications have not helped alleviate the condition – initial research has suggested that 70% of patients have seen a 50% reduction in migraine symptoms.

Botox injections can be used to bring relief to people suffering from a wide variety of health issues such as cerebral palsy, migraines and excessive sweating.

With the majority of people assuming the substance is solely used to prevent the development of wrinkles, increasing numbers of health professionals are using the procedure to treat a number of ailments.

A recent article published in the Sun highlighted the range of issues Botox injections are able to relieve, while stating those undergoing the procedure are happy with the results.

Among the participants was Liz Pearce from Leicester, who has received the injections to help with the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, which can affect speech and mobility.

She said: "The Botox relaxes the detrusor muscle, which contracts to release urine, and increases storage capacity of the bladder.

"The results are out of this world – Botox really has changed my life."

Meanwhile, the Financial Times recently reported a continued increase in the number of Botox sales occurring in the US despite the struggling economy. 

Individuals contemplating Botox injections to ward off the earliest signs of ageing could be surprised to hear there are alternative uses for the substance.

According to the Hindustan Times, the anti-wrinkle procedure is set to be used as a form of treatment for people suffering from migraines in India.

This news comes after Allergan, the substance's manufacturer, was given the green light from the country's Drug Controller General to use the injections for medical purposes.

As part of the move, individuals suffering from chronic headaches more than 15 times per month will qualify to receive Botox treatment, which is said to relieve the symptoms for up to three months.

Raghu Kumar, managing director of Allergan India, said: "Patients can now avail a new preventive treatment option that will reduce their time duration spent in pain resulting in better quality of life."

Meanwhile, the company has recently been given the nod to develop Botox with the hope of helping people who suffer from urinary incontinence.

Image-conscious individuals looking to receive Botox treatment to reverse the physical signs of ageing could be interested in alternative uses for the substance.

According to ABC 7News, increasing numbers of US doctors are using the treatment to ease the pain of migraines among patients.

The rise in the procedure's popularity comes after the Food and Drug Administration approved the product's use in select medical instances.

Experts define chronic migraines as 15 or more headaches per month, with many people experiencing problems with other aspects of their life as a result.

Dr Jason Krutsch, pain management specialist at University of Colorado Hospital, said: "Patients are often at [their] wits' end often having tried multiple medications and injections, and Botox is often the last step and the saving grace."

This news comes after UK charity the Migraine Trust called for the government to allow the NHS to issue the injection for the relief of headaches for free.

People who suffer from regular headaches have been advised to see an emergency dentist, as the problem could be related to oral health.

The British Dental Health Foundation (BDHF) suggested that persistent headaches could be a result of temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, which is caused by an imbalance when biting the jaws together.

Affecting one in seven people across the UK, the condition causes migraines due to increased pressure on nerves, muscles and blood vessels near the head.

Chief executive of the BDHF Dr Nigel Carter has urged individuals who are showing signs of the illness to seek attention from a dental expert.

He said: "Your dentist may be able to help you or may refer you to a specialist who deals with occlusal problems."

Colgate advises people living with TMJ disorder to eat a diet consisting of mainly soft foods, such as soup, scrambled eggs and fruit smoothies.

The organisation recommends that sufferers avoid yawning or singing often to prevent painful symptoms. 

Actress Nicole Kidman's smooth and wrinkle-free complexion at the recent Country Music Awards could be due to Botox treatment, it has been suggested.

After admitting to a German magazine earlier this year that she had tried Botox, the Oscar winner claimed she did not like the effect it had on her face.

She told the magazine: "I even tried Botox but I didn't like how my face looked afterwards. Now I don't use it anymore and I can move my forehead again."

However, rumours have emerged that Kidman has opted for the treatment again.

Although a representative for the Rabbit Hole star denied Kidman had changed her opinion and opted to use Botox again, a number of reports about the actress's wrinkle-free skin have speculated she has undergone treatment.

The procedure has a number of benefits when used cosmetically and has recently been found to help with various medical problems.

Website Love to Know reported that Botox injections have been used to assist in treatment for migraines as well as provide relief for men with enlarged prostate glands. 

A woman whose life has been plagued by terrible migraines has put her faith in Botox as a method of relieving the pain.

Gillian Paterson, 40, told the Scotsman she was first diagnosed with chronic migraines at the age of 20 and has anything up to 15 attacks a month.

They force her to take time off work and lie in a darkened room for days on end, "paralysed by pain".

However, just before Christmas 2010, Ms Paterson had her first Botox treatment, with 33 injections to prevent pain messages being transferred up through her neck and shoulders.

Although it is early days, she said she used half the amount of pain medication she would normally have needed in the months afterwards, prompting her to hope that Botox may be a way forward.

In December 2010, Marie Mulholland told My Fox Tampa Bay that using Botox to treat her chronic migraines had made her feel like a normal human being for once.
 

A growing number of doctors and patients have cited Botox as an effective treatment for migraines.

Dr Chris Snijman, spokesperson for the Association of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons in South Africa, told Times Live that a number of patients have experienced reduced headache symptoms after a Botox injection.

Although more commonly used as an anti-wrinkle procedure, the jab is now officially licensed for the treatment of headaches in several countries.

"If you paralyse the specific muscle group, you will decrease tension on the nerve and this can abort the initiation of a migraine," Dr Snijman explained.

Pinkie Fullenwider, an American woman who has experienced regular migraines for 50 years, said Botox injections have helped to reduce the pain and lessen the duration of her headaches.

She told the Journal and Courier in Indiana: "If I keep up with them, [the migraines] won't be as severe as before."

In the UK, Botox was approved for the treatment of chronic migraines in July last year.

An expert has insisted that there is evidence to show that Botox can work for some migraine sufferers.

A report published earlier this week by the British journal Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin argued that there is "limited" scientific proof to show that the drug can treat severe headaches because tests were inconclusive and unreliable.

However, Professor Paul Rolan from Australia told the Sydney Morning Herald that he uses Botox on around six patients a year and has seen good results for most of them.

Although he acknowledged that the effects may only last a few months and not everyone will suit the treatment, he said it does work and can have fewer side-effects than conventional medicines.

"A lot of people say they would willingly pay a thousand dollars if you could get rid of my migraines for three months," Professor Rolan pointed out.

Up to 700,000 people in the UK are currently affected by migraines.