Putting Our Heads Together

One of the biggest topics of discussion amongst Migraineurs today is that of PFO, "the hole in the heart" that may contribute to Migraines. Migraineurs are asking their doctors to test them to see if they have this condition. Many of those who do want to have the hole repaired -- immediately. However, questions remain and the closure procedure is not yet being performed on the basis of Migraine disease because it has not yet been proven effective. Trials are underway to determine the efficacy of PFO closure for Migraine disease. Feature Article

What Is PFO:
PFO stands for patent foramen ovale. A PFO is a hole in the wall (septum) that divides the right and left atrium (chambers) of the heart. We all have a PFO during fetal development, but it usually closes before birth. The right side of the heart receives blood and pumps it to the lungs for oxygenation. The blood then goes through the left side of the heart to be pumped to the brain and other organs. A PFO can allow blood that hasn't been oxygenated by the lungs to get into the left side of the heart... Feature Article

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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

It is known that botulinum toxin, type A, (BoNTA) often has marked effects on head pain and other pain. These can outlast effects on motor nerve fibers, and the mechanism may be an effect on nociceptive sensory afferent or non-cholinergic fibers. Intradermal administration was chosen to test this hypothesis for multiple types of painful conditions on the basis that nociceptive fibers are most numerous in the skin and that cutaneous sensory input contribute to these common painful conditions. Feature Article

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Too many Migraineurs share this problem — finding treatment for intractable or refractory Migraines. Those are the Migraines that don't seem to respond to treatment no matter what they try, be it preventives, abortives, or pain management. This situation often leads to feelings of desperation on the part of the patient and extreme frustration on the part of their physicians. John Claude Krusz, PhD, MD; (Ask the Clinician) and his colleagues; Virginia Scott-Krusz; Jeanne Ballanger, RN; and Jane Cagle, LVN; have been using outpatient IV treatment for refractory Migraines in Dr. Krusz's Dallas clinic since 1994 and collecting research data... Feature Article

"The future of aggressive headache treatment is in the specialty clinic, a far more cost- and time-effective mode of treating intractable headaches, including refractory and chronic Migraines. Compared with the emergency department, the headache clinic can offer a wider range of effective and definitive treatments and offer headache patients maximum degree of success for control of Migraines. We have used IV treatment in the clinic since 1994 and presented initial data regarding its effectiveness in 1998. This study continues in documenting the degree of success of outpatient IV treatment of headaches..." Feature Article

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The MedicAlert E-HealthKEY is a USB flash drive that allows you to carry your medical records with you. It's an excellent supplement to emergency medical identification. You can not only record emergency information such as conditions, medications, and contact information, but you can also store medical images and your complete medical history. With your computer, the E-HealthKEY will also remind you of prescriptions and appointments and much more. You may remember my review of the E-HealthKEY from August. Until now, MedicAlert items have been available only through MedicAlert. Now, in order to reach more people with their vital services, MedicAlert has listed the E-HealthKEY on Amazon.com. Congratulations to the fine folks at MedicAlert, and thank you for the life-saving services you provide!

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I'm going to be doing several radio interviews about Migraine disease and headaches over the next couple of months. Many of them can be listened to online. I've put up the interview schedule. You may want to bookmark this page since it's being updated frequently. View schedule

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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

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