“Legislative advocacy has become difficult for the severe autism population since the DSM-5 lumped Asperger’s syndrome with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Further complicating the matter, a new population recently emerged who identify as “autis…
Category: Neurology
Suspect a stroke? Act F.A.S.T.
If you suspect that you or a loved one is having a stroke, call 911. It’s a call that can mean the difference between life or death. Unfortunately, during the pandemic, it is a call that too few made. Across the nation, stroke death rates increased as …
How a Zoom nursing interview killed my self-worth
I have dedicated 35 years of my life as a nurse: in the ICU for 33 years and behavioral health/intensive management for the last two. I thought it would be time to take a break from ICU nursing. Surely behavioral health would be a lot easier — kind of …
Asking patients to write letters illuminates new aspects of the physician-patient-family relationship
In 2019, we (authors SM, LC) initiated a research study on the experience of care partners of people with Parkinson’s disease psychosis (PDP). Among other activities, participants wrote a letter to their care recipient’s doctor to the promp…
Think about your brain and spine before you start that new fad diet
Before you jump on the diet bandwagon with your brother-in-law (who’s crowing about shedding all that weight with so little effort), think about the potential downside. The problem with an ill-thought-out diet: Fad diets are designed to take off weigh…
Migraines are more than just a headache
Sometimes, I’m warned. There might be a heaviness over the right quadrant of my head, accompanied by spotting in my vision, little flecks of light that distract my attention and signal the pain to come. Other times, there is no premonition. Out o…
Does pain change your brain?
I consult on many patients because they are suffering from pain. In fact, their pain is so severe that they are considering spinal surgery. More than 100,000 Americans decide to undergo surgery, and millions more have invasive procedures for low back p…
A neurosurgeon explains why visualization works
Brain science explains why visualization improves performance in the real world, helps make better decisions, and minimizes errors. Before performing surgery, let’s say for a herniated disc, I stand in front of a white porcelain sink. Antiseptic bubble…
The eradication of polio in the U.S. is truly a testament to vaccination’s extraordinary power
I opened the exam room door and hit something. Peeking around the door, I saw an elderly woman wearing a pink sequined hat who was perched in a motorized scooter parked awkwardly in front of the door. I slinked around her to my stool and sat down as I…
Unmasking the faces of COVID: pages from a neurologist’s diary
“Please don’t go just yet. Promise you will come to see me again?” she asked, with a frail quiver in her voice. “But of course, see you on my rounds tomorrow!” I replied, trying to sound cheery, as I turned to leave her negative pressure ICU room. I wa…
