Putting Our Heads Together

What Is... Pseudotumor Cerebri?

Simply speaking, Pseudotumor Cerebri is a condition in which the body either produces too much cerebrospinal fluid pressure or doesn't absorb it well, resulting in increased cerebrospinal fluid pressure. This condition can be related to headaches and Migraines.

Pseudotumor cerebri literally means "false brain tumor" because it's symptoms mimic those of brain tumors. It is also (more accurately) called Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH). The term idiopathic is applied because it's cause is not truly known. Feature article.

Unique Education Series Setting Sail!

The statistics are shocking. Nearly 50 million Americans suffer from persistent pain. Nearly 36 million are affected by Migraine disease. At least 80% of the world's population will be affected by tension-type headaches at some time in their lives. These “invisible” illnesses can be disabling and can make those afflicted by them feel isolated, alone, and powerless.

Dr. John Claude Krusz, Helen Dearman, and Teri Robert have joined forces to form Pain Tamers™ At Sea to provide opportunities for chronic pain, headache, and Migraine patients to learn about their conditions and management techniques. In the setting of an ocean cruise, the goal of Pain Tamers™ At Sea is to provide a peaceful, relaxing setting for educational seminars combined with a short vacation. Feature article.

Were the Psychedelics All Bad?

It's nothing new. Drugs that are abused or misused by a small segment of society become stigmatized. Other segments of society overreact, and the potential benefits of the drugs become lost in the shuffle.

Case in point... Does anyone remember Quaaludes from the 70s? Maybe. But how many of you remember that Quaaludes were a actually a legitimate, useful drug named Methaqualone?...

There's potential new research into the so-called "psychedelic drugs." Is this country ready for it, or will we let stigmatization from the past keep us from making progress? Continue reading...

Ways To Give Yourself a Headache or Migraine

or, You'd might as well beat your head against a wall!

I  keep seeing people in pain, more pain than they need to be. It doesn't matter if it's pain from tension-type headaches, cluster headaches, Migraine attacks, or other head pain. Obviously, I can't be referring to everyone, but sadly, too many of us can fall into these traps. It's time to address some of the ways we can sabotage ourselves. Given how we can and often do sabotage ourselves, we'd might as well be deliberately banging our heads against a wall. Feature article.

Intradermal Botox To Treat Pain Disorders

We've all heard a lot about Botox, botulinum toxin type A (BoNTA). It seems as if it's being used for something different every day. There are both cosmetic and medical applications for it. In the right hands, Botox is very helpful; in the wrong hands, it can be disastrous. If you're considering Botox treatments, don't hesitate to ask how much experience your doctor has with Botox administration.

Research into the most effective ways to use Botox for headache and Migraine treatment continues and is promising. Here, we'll take a look at research performed by John Claude Krusz, Ph.D., M.D., and William R. Knoderer, M.D., D.D.S., in Dallas. Please note that this research is based on intradermal (into the skin) administration of Botox. What you're probably used to reading and hearing about is intramuscular (into the muscle) administration of Botox... Feature Article

Namenda for Chronic Headache and Migraine Prevention

Another medication can now be added to the growing list of medications shown to be effective for prevention of headaches and Migraine attacks. Namenda (memantine HCL, Forest Pharmaceuticals) was approved for use in the United States in October, 2003, more than a decade after its use began in Europe under the brand names Ebixa and Axura. It's classified as an orally active NMDA receptor antagonist. Namenda (memantine hydrochloride) is approved for the treatment of "moderate to severe dementia of the Alzheimer's type."

John Claude Krusz, Ph.D., M.D., and Diane Cammarata, ANRP, BC, have been studying the use of Namenda in the treatment of chronic Migraine disease and tension-type headache (TTH) in Dr. Krusz's Dallas practice. The results have been quite promising. Feature Article