NEUROLOGY

Neurology Clinic in Dallas-Fort Worth

At Foundation Physicians Group, we offer up to date neurological procedures for chronic headaches, including Botox for migraines and occipital nerve blocks. Our physicians are headache specialists trained to inject Botox and occipital nerve blocks to help alleviate headache related pain and discomfort.

Botox is a prescription medicine injected to avert headaches in adults with chronic migraines. This is defined as adults who have more than 15 days each month with a headache lasting over 4 hours a day. Every treatment will involve 31 injections in 7 key areas of the head and neck. Once you begin the Botox treatment process, you must get treated every 12 weeks (3 months).

Initially, you will start with 2 treatments, 12 weeks apart. It takes about 24 weeks (6 months) with treatment to experience a reduction in headache days. From there on out, you will decide what’s right for you with one of our physicians. The main warning, we give our clients is that the most common side effect was neck pain, which is experienced by 9% of patients.

In A Nutshell

Botox Treatment:

Prevents headaches and migraines before they even start. Botox prevents on average 8 or 9 headache days and migraine/probable migraine days a month at 24 weeks.
Is given every 12 weeks. It will take 2 treatments, 12 weeks apart to determine how well Botox is working for you. If you don’t get treated every12 weeks, you may not get the full benefit of Botox.
Involves the use of a tsmall needle. People say that the injections feel like tiny pinpricks.
Is carried out by one of our Botox specialists; all of our doctors are experienced in treatment with Botox.
Takes about 15 minutes and are done right in your doctor’s office

Occipital Nerve Block, in a Nutshell:

Is an injection of a steroid or an equivalent medication around the greater and lesser occipital nerves located on the back of the head just above the neck area.

Reduces the inflammation and swelling of tissue around the occipital nerves.

Reduces pain, and other symptoms caused by inflammation or irritation of the nerves and surrounding structures.

Are used for certain types of tension headaches and migraine headaches.

Only takes a few minutes to complete.

The process begins with the application of a local anesthetic and then a steroid medication. The procedure involves inserting a needle through skin and deeper tissues. However, the skin and deeper tissues are numbed with a local anesthetic using a very thin needle during the performance of the block. It is done with the patient seated or lying down. The skin and hair of the back of the head are cleaned with antiseptic solution and then the injection is carried out. You will start noticing a more lasting pain relief starting the third day or so of the treatment.

Immediately afterwards you will rest for a while in the office, and be monitored by our physicians. For most patients, the steroid starts working in about 3 to 5 days and its effect can last for several days to a few months. Unlike Botox, the injections are done about one week apart only if needed. If the first injection does not relieve your symptoms within two weeks, you may be recommended to have a second injection. Then, if you respond to the injections, you may be recommended for additional injections when the symptoms return.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment with Foundation Physicians Group, contact us today!

Four Foundational Pillars

Medical care and therapeutic treatments come in many varieties. At Foundation we focus on four core disciplines, and offer the convenience and flexibility of partnering with diagnostic imaging services under the same roof.