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How to Use Injections to Treat Headaches

Chronic headaches can be treated in two different ways. They can either be treated abortively (after onset), or they can be treated by prevention. If you are suffering from chronic headaches and are not opposed to using injections to treat them, there are two types of injections from which you can choose. Injections of sumatriptan can be used abortively, and injections of Botox can be used preventatively.

Things You'll Need

  • Medical supervision
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Instructions

  1. Use Botox Injections to Treat Chronic Headaches

    • 1

      Find a doctor who is experienced with using Botox injections to treat chronic headaches. Not all doctors are familiar with this procedure, so you may need to do some research. Some cosmetic surgeons have expanded their services to offer this therapy.

    • 2

      Discuss your symptoms with your doctor. Your doctor can determine if your chronic headaches are suitable for treatment with Botox injections.

    • 3

      Get a round of Botox injections. Typically, the first round consists of 10 injections split evenly between the forehead and back of the neck. With subsequent rounds, your doctor may choose to use more injections.

    • 4

      Repeat Botox injections every 2 to 5 months as determined by your symptoms if you experienced positive results. Some patients report total elimination of headaches, some have partial elimination and some report no relief from the injections.

    Use Sumatriptan Injections to Relieve Migraines Quickly

    • 5

      Check your symptoms against common migraine symptoms. Migraines are distinguished from other headaches by their severe, throbbing pain and additional symptoms, such as nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. Sumatriptan is designed specifically to treat migraine headaches.

    • 6

      Discuss sumatriptan injections with your doctor. Sumatriptan is also available in tablet form and nasal sprays under several different brand names. The advantage to using the injectable form is the speed with which you can experience relief.

    • 7

      Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about how to use sumatriptan in its injectable form. Sumatriptan injections are self-administered through an auto-injection device. Injections are either made in the thigh or the deltoid muscle.

    • 8

      Inject sumatriptan immediately when migraine symptoms appear. It should take no more than 1 hour for the symptoms to go away, and some people notice results in less than 10 minutes.

    • 9

      Take a second dose of sumatriptan after 1 hour if your symptoms are not entirely gone. Don't take more than two doses in 24 hours, however. Proper use is detailed in the drug literature that comes with the prescription.

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