Monthly Archives: December 2014

Botox for treating chronic migraines

Dr Singh who runs his botox clinic in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, in his latest blog shares his thoughts on the use of botox to treat chronic migraines.

Botox can and has been be used to help people suffering from Chronic Migraines, having 15 or more headache days per month, at least half of which have migrainous features. Each of these headaches is lasting for more than four hours.
Botox has been licensed specifically for the treatment of chronic migraine in July 2010 by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Botox is the only FDA-approved preventive treatment proven to reduce headache days every month. Tests have proven that Botox treatment can prevent up to 9 headache days a month.
How does the Botox Treatment work?
The Botox Injection and or treatment block the chemical change on the nerve endings. The Botox is injected into the muscles of the forehead, the side and back of the head. The Botox injection is also injected into the neck and shoulder to produce a partial or temporary chemical nerve ending change of the muscles (also known as ‘denervation’). Once Botox is injected it causes the muscles to be too weak to contract. The dosage used for this treatment is extremely low.
Who can inject Botox?
Currently, only very few specialist whom have received the appropriate training, certification and registered can inject Botox for chronic migraines.
Is Botox treatment for Chronic Migraines available on the National Health Service (NHS)?
In June 2012 The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommended Botox be available on the NHS as a preventive treatment option for adult patients suffering from Chronic on going migraines. This only applies to the NHS services within England and Wales.

For more information about botox hertfordshire please call us on 01438 300111.

Botox myths

Myth 1: Are Botox injections painful?
The truth being is that people have compared having Botox injected to having a blood test. There is a small pinch sensation however it only lasts a few seconds. Having the Botox treatment requires on anaesthetic.
Myth 2: The needle
The needle is sterile and come individually packed. The needle is extremely fine and a small amount of liquid is injected in the area of treatment. Many patients have said that the pain associated with the injections is completely non-existent.
Myth 3: Is there loss of facial expression after Botox treatment
A number of people looking to have Botox treatment are concerned about the loss of facial expression (that frozen look). However, the reality is that having the Botox treatment will enhance your expressions and you will be able to display the full range of expression as before including, frowning and smiling. All treatments must be performed by a qualified, trained and skilled practitioner. The Botox treatment relaxes the muscles were the treatment has taken place, for example, soften lines around the eyes.
Myth 4: Does Botox contain food poisoning
Botox is made from a purified protein that comes from the toxin, as many medications are. Huge research has been undertaken into the testing of Botox and its uses. Botox injections have one of the highest satisfaction ratings from its patients.
Myth 5: Can Botox only be used for the face
Botox and Botox treatments was initially developed to help with neurological disorders treatment. To this day, however not wildly known, Botox treatment can be used in the following conditions, depression, migraines, involuntary facial movement, this is just a small list.
Myth 6: Are Botox treatments unsafe and dangerous
Botox has a long standing and well established safety history and has been available and used for over 20 years for various treatments. Over 16 million Botox treatments have been carried out since it was first introduced and no long term side effects have been reports by the users.

 

To book an appointment please visit botox hertfordshire

Botox and our moods

Can our moods be affected by Botox?

 

Did the chicken or egg come first?

Does are mood reflect our facial expressions or does our facial expressions reflect our mood? We assumed that our emotions directed our facial expressions, but studies have suggested it is in fact our facial expressions that determine our emotions.

You cannot feel depressed if you are smiling and being expressive with your face. To feel depressed you need to have little expression on your face, look sad, look down and curl up your body. Whenever my children are upset or start crying, first thing I do is to get them to open their body up, look towards to the sky and crack a joke to get them to smile, and it works every time. Researches also understood the above strategy and started asking themselves on whether if we prevented a negative facial expression, such as frowning, could we change that persons mood and help depression.

William James an American philosopher postulated in 1890 that the common sense of viewing emotions is wrong. He went on to say without our bodies ability to express an emotion, it ceases to exist. For example we can not experience fear without faster heart beats, more shallow breathing, trembling lips, weak at the knees, goosebumps, etc.

Our facial expressions have evolved over millions of years. Charles Darwin in 1872 wrote, ‘A man may be absorbed in the deepest thought, and his brow will remain smooth until he encounters some obstacle in his train of reasoning, or is interrupted by some disturbance, and then a frown passes like a shadow over his brow’.

We can all tell if someone is angry by the negative facial expression such as frowning. We know the opposite to the negative frown is the positive smile.

‘A smile cures the wounding of a frown’ – Shakespare

There are different types of smiles and a true genuine smile has been classified as the Duchenne smile. In this smile, Duchenne a French anatomist in 1860, observed the ‘smile of joy’ where the orbicularis oculi is activated and contracts to produce the crows feet. This is in stark contrast to the ‘Mona Lisa smile’ where the eyes are not involved at all when smiling. This can be used to our advantage, very few people can fake a genuine eye smile. If they don’t create lines around their eyes when they smile its either because it not a genuine smile or that’ve had Botox. Smiling is good for us. Smiling creates positive emotions and thus leads to a reduction in stress related hormones.

A third type of smiles is known as the Hawthorne’s ‘sad’ smile. This is where you are experiencing a sad/depressing event, lets say a funeral and you see a relative who is struggling to cope with the circumstances, you may just give them a small smile to indicate we are in this together and we will be ok.

Lets go back and look at the negative facial expression of frowning (which botox can reduce) . There are different types of frowns (sad versus angry) depending on which muscles are recruited, and each one has a different meaning. If the inner part of your eyebrows point upwards whilst frowning, you will look sad. If however the eyebrows are drawn together and down whilst frowning, you will look angry.

By stopping us to frown via botox injections, we can possibly uplift our spirits.

 

 

To book an appointment please visit botox hertfordshire.

 

botox frequently asked questions

Dr Singh who runs his botox clinic in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, in his latest blog shares his thoughts on frequently asked questions about botox treatments.

who does it treat?

Botox can be used for any lines that are a result of facial expressions. The three main areas are: forehead, frown and lines around the eyes. It is also commonly used to treat hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating under the arms)

 

what problems does it solve?

Any lines that you are concerned with can be improved upon with botox injections. It will improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and give the skin a more glowing appearance.

 

how can I get it?

Simply book an appointment with us for 30 minutes and start the process of good ageing with our botox therapies.

 

what other options are there?

If the lines are present at rest, then dermal fillers may be a better option. We offer a free consultation to determine what treatment would be best for you in terms of the results you wanted to achieve.

 

does it hurt?

Not at all. The botox is given just under the skin. We have many needle phobic patients who have the treatment comfortably.

 

For more information about botox hertfordshire, please call us on 01438 300111.