Neurology Archives | Cayuga Medical Center

Feb 05 Comments Off

Treating back pain with minimally invasive surgery

Posted by jprobert

By Dr. Vassilios Dimopoulos

Back pain can range from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp pain that makes movement difficult, and the condition is among the most common reasons patients see their physicians. For most patients, conservative treatments involving rest, medications, physical therapy or massage will resolve back pains. However, a small percentage of patients will need spinal surgery to correct conditions that are responsible for their back pain. Increasingly, minimally invasive surgery is used in these spinal procedures.

Nov 07 Comments Off

Diagnosing, treating, and preventing dementia

Posted by jprobert

Dr. Chris King from the Cayuga Center for Neurosciences explains diagnosing, treating, and preventing different types of dementia.

Oct 13 Comments Off

Recognizing Signs of a Stroke

Posted by jprobert

By Jody Stackman, MD

Every 40 seconds someone in the United States suffers a stroke. In the US, strokes are the third leading cause of death, following heart disease and cancer, and the second leading cause of dementia. There are more than 700,000 new strokes occurring each year.

Oct 13 Comments Off

Speech Therapy and Stroke Recovery

Posted by jprobert

By Phyllis Mazurski, MS ,CCC – SLP

Stroke is the third leading cause of death among Americans, claiming the lives of 160,000 people each year. Among those who survive stroke, two-thirds have some type of resulting disability. However, with immediate medical intervention and the help of rehabilitation specialists, over time many stroke victims are able to reclaim some or all of their former abilities.

Oct 12 Comments Off

Understanding Epilepsy

Posted by jprobert

By Deana Bonno, MD

Most people are genuinely surprised to learn that epilepsy is a relatively common disorder. One in 26 people will develop epilepsy over the course of his or her lifetime. Two million people in the US are affected by this neurological disorder, with 150,000 new cases diagnosed each year.

Oct 12 Comments Off

Speech Therapy and Stroke Recovery

Posted by jprobert

By Phyllis Mazurski, MS ,CCC – SLP

Stroke is the third leading cause of death among Americans, claiming the lives of 160,000 people each year. Among those who survive stroke, two-thirds have some type of resulting disability. However, with immediate medical intervention and the help of rehabilitation specialists, over time many stroke victims are able to reclaim some or all of their former abilities.

Oct 12 Comments Off

Life After Stroke

Posted by jprobert

Therapy and support for stroke patients

By Andrew Morpurgo, MD

Strokes can be devastating. They come out of the blue and literally strike people down, usually with no warning. Given their potentially devastating impact, stroke prevention has become a priority within the national medical community. The result is that the incidence of stroke has dropped within the last decade, due to more effective recognition and treatment of stroke risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, and atherosclerosis (the build-up of plaque in vessel walls).

Oct 12 Comments Off

F-A-S-T Response to Stroke Symptoms Saves Brain Function

Posted by jprobert

By Barbara Goodwin, MSN, RN

There is a saying in the medical community that “time is brain” when it comes to treating stroke because the longer the brain is without sufficient oxygen, the more damaging a stroke will be. Immediate recognition of stroke symptoms and transportation to the Emergency Department within two hours of the onset of symptoms can make a tremendous difference for someone who has suffered a stroke.

Oct 12 Comments Off

Dystonia is a Frequently Misdiagnosed Condition

Posted by jprobert

By James Gaffney, MD

Dystonia is a neurologic movement disorder characterized by involuntary, sustained, patterned, repetitive muscle contractions, usually of opposing muscles. These contractions, which typically affect the same group of muscles in any given individual, cause unwanted movements or abnormal postures. A person with cervical dystonia or spasmodic torticollis, for example, might experience repeated turning or tilting of the head to one side due to involuntary contractions of the neck muscles. These uncontrollable muscle spasms can result in considerable pain, as well as difficulty maintaining head position. The current thinking about dystonia is that it is not a disease of the muscle, spinal cord, or nerve roots, but rather a primary brain disease having to do with processing movement and motor control.