FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 2002
Contact: Jamie Ferlanti
Manager of Public Relations
(732) 632-1528
PHYSICIAN USING BOTOX INJECTIONS TO TREAT HEADACHES
Edison, NJ - Philip Hanna, M.D., an Assistant Professor at the New Jersey Neuroscience Institute at JFK Medical Center in Edison, is now providing an innovative treatment for refractory headaches, including migraine and tension headaches. He is administering injections of Botulinum toxin type A (Botoxâ) - used successfully as of late for everything from spasticity to cosmetic surgery - which appears to be of major benefit for stopping headaches that do not respond to oral medications. The injections are generally administered every 3-4 months, often resulting in a decreased need for such oral medications with their associated side effects.
The primary purpose of the injections, which have not yet been FDA approved for the treatment of headaches, is to minimize the frequency and severity of such headaches by decreasing muscle tightness or spasms. Such muscle spasms, particularly in the neck region, appear to trigger or worsen many headaches.
"There have been substantial
advances in the treatment of headaches over the past several years. Despite
this, many patients end up taking many medications, which may have side
effects. Botulinum toxin has the advantage of targeting the muscle spasms
directly without causing systemic side effects. In most cases patients
treated can decrease the
Botox for Headaches/Add Onenumber
of medications they take by mouth," said Dr. Hanna.
Dr. Hanna has extensive experience
in the use of Botoxâ for the treatment of various conditions, including
headaches. He has also been published in international medical
journals, most often on the subject of certain individuals' resistance
to botulinum toxin. Dr. Hanna's research, published in the journal Neurology,
indicates that antibodies tend to develop if injections are given too
frequently, especially in high doses. Fortunately, with the frequency
and dosage used in treating headaches, the development of antibodies appears
to be highly unlikely.
The New Jersey Neuroscience Institute at JFK Medical Center is a comprehensive facility designed exclusively for the diagnosis, treatment and research of complex neurological disorders in adults and children. Services offered at the Institute include programs in spine and brain tumors, dizziness and balance disorders, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, stroke and movement disorders and a comprehensive sleep disorder clinic and laboratory.