HOUSTON – Kelli Smolarz says she found relief from 10 years of debilitating migraines in an unlikely place.
Her wonder drug? Botox.
Smolarz gets small injections of the deadly toxin in the back of her head and forehead from Dr. Ronda Alexandar.
"The same system that stops the movement of the muscles actually stops the communication of the pain back to the brain," Alexandar said.
In the 80s, cosmetic surgeons started using Botox to stop the muscle contraction that causes wrinkles.
But their patients began reporting a surprising side effect – no more headaches.
"I now rarely get a headache. I couldn’t tell you the last time I got one, so I do more things and it’s helped my life significantly," Smolarz said.
Botox is FDA-approved, but many are still concerned about the dangers of injecting a deadly toxin into their body.
"Over 25 years, there have been only rare reports – less than 15 or so – of people having strong adverse reactions which were not expected due to the placement of the toxin," Alexandar said.
She said Botox can also help treat tremors in MS patients, eye ticks and voice disorders. To her, the benefits outweigh the risks.
"I recommend any migraine sufferer who takes more than the recommended medicine or has had failed treatment with their neurologist, consider this therapy," Alexandar said.
In Smolarz’s case, it’s given her life back. She no longer has headaches five days a week, plus, she has an added benefit.
"It happens to have a cosmetic benefit as well, and no one is going to complain about that," she said with a laugh.
