Methods for treating headache

Abstract

A headache can be treated more effectively by co-administration of a botulinum toxin and a triptan drug to a patient and/or the effectiveness of a triptan medication can be increased. The botulinum toxin can be botulinum toxin type A and the botulinum toxin can be administered to or to the vicinity of where a patient experiences or is predisposed to experience pain or a headache.

1 . A method for treating a headache in a triptan medication overuse patient, the method comprising the step of local administration of a botulinum toxin to a patient who is a triptan medication overuse patient, thereby both countering a headache exacerbation caused by triptan medication overuse and reducing the use of triptan medication by the patient to treat a headache.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the botulinum toxin is selected from the group consisting of botulinum toxin types A, B, C, D, E, F and G.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the botulinum toxin is a botulinum toxin type A.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the botulinum toxin is administered in an amount of between about 1 unit and about 10,000 units.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the local administration is by intramuscular or subcutaneous administration to a location on or within a head of a patient.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the local administration of the botulinum toxin is to a facial muscle of the patient.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the local administration is to a forehead of the patient  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the local administration of the botulinum toxin is to a subdermal location or to a muscle location from which the patient perceives a pain to arise.  
     
     
         9 . A method for treating a headache in a triptan medication overuse patient, the method comprising the step of local administration of between about 1 unit and about 1,500 units of a botulinum toxin type A to a patient who is a triptan medication overuse patient, thereby both countering a headache exacerbation caused by the triptan medication overuse and reducing the use of triptan medication by the patient to treat a headache.  
     
     
         10 . A method for increasing the effectiveness of a triptan medication to treat a headache, the method comprising the step of administering a triptan to treat a headache and local administration of a botulinum toxin.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the botulinum toxin is selected from the group consisting of botulinum toxin types A, B, C, D, E, F and G.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the botulinum toxin is a botulinum toxin type A.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the botulinum toxin is administered in an amount of between about 1 unit and about 10,000 units.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the local administration is by intramuscular or subcutaneous administration to a location on or within a head of a patient.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the local administration of the botulinum toxin is to a facial muscle of the patient.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the local administration is to a forehead of the patient  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the local administration of the botulinum toxin is to a subdermal location or to a muscle location from which the patient perceives a pain to arise.  
     
     
         18 . A method for increasing the effectiveness of a triptan medication to treat a headache, the method comprising the step of administering a triptan and local administration of between about 1 unit and about 1,500 units of a botulinum toxin type A, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the triptan to treat a headache.