St. Charles County is one of the fastest-growing parts of Missouri, and most people there cross the river for specialist care. Our main office at 4477 Woodson Rd, St. Louis, MO 63134 sits beside Lambert International Airport. That makes it one of the closer interventional pain practices to St. Charles — about fifteen miles, and a straight run.
Most people take I-70 east across the Blanchette Bridge to I-170 south, then exit toward Woodson. From the Cottleville and Weldon Spring side, take Page Avenue east across the river, then I-270 north. That works just as well and often skips the I-70 jam. Our second office at 12174 Natural Bridge Rd, St. Louis is a bit closer to St. Charles. It is a simple run east on I-70, then south.
Both offices have ground-level parking on site. Which one you go to depends on what we are doing that day. We tell you when you book, not when you show up.
Headache is the condition most often treated wrong for the longest time. We spend this page on it because the way it fails is so predictable.
Patients cycle through abortive (rescue) medications for years, and no one finds where the pain comes from. When the pills stop working, the dose goes up. In a real share of people, the pills then start causing the headaches. This rebound pattern looks just like the first problem getting worse.
Cervicogenic headache is the one most often missed. The pain starts in the upper cervical facet joints (small joints in the neck) and spreads into the head. It usually begins at the base of the skull and moves forward behind one eye. It often gets called migraine because that is how it feels. The clues: it tends to stay on one side, neck position or long posture sets it off, and it often follows an old neck injury. It responds to treatment aimed at the neck — see facet joint injection and radiofrequency ablation — and not at all to migraine pills.
Chronic migraine, when the diagnosis is right, has its own procedure option. Botox for chronic migraine follows a set injection plan. It is meant for patients with headache on fifteen or more days a month. It is not for the odd migraine, and we will tell you so rather than offer it to someone who does not qualify.
Cluster headache and severe facial pain come from yet another structure. The sphenopalatine ganglion is a nerve bundle behind the nose. It runs much of the autonomic (automatic) nerve supply to the face. That is why cluster attacks bring a watering eye, a blocked nostril and a drooping lid on the same side. A sphenopalatine ganglion block goes straight at it. See also cluster headache treatment.
For a headache that has lasted years, the right question is not which pill to try next. It is which structure is causing it, and whether anyone has actually tested that.
A scan is a starting point, not a verdict. Many people with no pain at all have disc changes on MRI. Plenty of people in real pain have normal scans. What settles it is the exam. When it fits, we add a diagnostic block under image guidance. The block confirms the source before we commit to anything longer-lasting.
About fifteen miles to Woodson, a bit less to Natural Bridge. Outside rush hour it is an easy drive. Plan around the I-70 eastbound afternoon rush.
Addresses, hours and directions are on our Locations page.
Only if something would be done differently. Ask whether anyone has tested where the pain starts, rather than treating the label. If the answer is no, that is the gap to close.
For one example of treating where headache pain starts, read SPG and Stellate Ganglion Blocks for Cluster Headache and Migraine.
Not from us. Some insurance plans need one for coverage. Our staff will check your plan before you come in.
New patients are usually seen within a few days. We hold same-day appointments open for acute (sudden) pain.
It is head pain that starts in the upper cervical facet joints in the neck. It usually begins at the base of the skull and moves forward behind one eye, so it often gets called migraine. It tends to stay on one side. Neck position or long posture sets it off, and it often follows an old neck injury. It responds to treatment aimed at the neck, not to migraine pills.
Yes. When abortive (rescue) medications stop working, the dose goes up. In a real share of people, the pills then start causing the headaches. That rebound pattern looks just like the first problem getting worse. After years of headaches, the better question is which structure is causing the pain, and whether anyone has actually tested that.
Botox for chronic migraine follows a set injection plan. It is meant for patients with headache on fifteen or more days a month. It is not for the odd migraine, and we will tell you so rather than offer it to someone who does not qualify. The migraine diagnosis has to be right first, since cervicogenic headache is often mistaken for migraine.
It is used for cluster headache and severe facial pain. The sphenopalatine ganglion sits behind the nose and runs much of the autonomic (automatic) nerve supply to the face. That is why cluster attacks bring a watering eye, a blocked nostril and a drooping lid on the same side. The block goes straight at that structure.
Call us or request a time. We take most major insurance, including Medicare. Both offices are listed on our locations page.
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Same-day and emergency appointments are available.