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Herniated Discs: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
If you or a loved one has ever suffered the pain of a herniated disc, you likely won’t soon forget the experience. The symptoms caused by a disc herniation can be excruciating, and they can affect how you go about your daily life. Here’s what you need to know about disc herniation and how a …
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Long Term Effects of Spinal Compression Fractures
Many people experience back pain in their life, especially as they get older. As our bones get worn down by the constant wear and tear of living, it’s a natural part of the aging process. While some back pain can seem expected, not all back pain should be ignored or brushed off. If you have …
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Causes of Nerve Entrapment
We have all felt the sensation of our arm or leg going to sleep, or the uncomfortable tingling that happens when we hit our funny bone. These experiences don’t usually last more than a few seconds, but if tingling, numbness, or pain last, it could be signs of nerve compression. Nerve compression syndrome, also called nerve …
This “Pink Drink” Leads to Better Outcomes in Brain Cancer Surgeries
What is 5-ALA Fluorescent Dye?5-ALA Fluorescent Dye, nicknamed the “Pink Drink,” is an optical imaging agent that is administered orally to brain cancer patients prior to surgery. 5-ALA, or 5-Aminolevulinic Acid, consists of fluorescent dye that glows when placed under UV light. Once ingested, only the cancerous cells glow. This allows neurosurgeons to target and …
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Portable Treatment for Glioblastoma, Now Available
Dr. James M. Chimenti and Dr. Richard V. Buonocore are now certified to prescribe Optune® for the treatment of newly diagnosed and recurrent glioblastoma (GBM). This wearable and portable medical device is the first FDA-approved treatment in more than a decade for newly diagnosed GBM.Optune is approved for the treatment of adult patients (22 years of age …
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A Guide to Brain Cells
What is the Brain Made Of?The brain is composed of 40 percent gray matter, which is made of neurons, and 60 percent white matter, which is made of dendrites and axons that the neurons utilize. The two types of prominent brain cells are the glial cells and the neurons. While neurons in the brain play …
Craniotomy Through the Ages: We’ve Come a Long Way
Craniotomy: To a veteran neurosurgeon, it’s just another day in the office, not even close to the most complex procedure one will perform in a given week. But a modern neurosurgeon has access to a variety of state-of-the-art imaging studies, precisely machined tools made specifically for neurosurgery, and thousands upon thousands of hours of practice.Given …
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The Lost Art of Bending Over and Proper Posture
Imagine a culture in which back pain barely exists. It wouldn’t be our culture, that’s for certain. With 80 to 90 percent of Americans experiencing back pain at one point in their lives, “oh, my aching back” is almost a cliché. Subsequently, the list of spine conditions and procedures Americans commonly experience and undergo is a long …
Causes of Chronic Low Back Pain
Low back pain can really be a pain in the—well, back.This condition is one of the most common health issues around. In fact, 31 million Americans experience low back pain at any given time, and it is the single leading cause of disability worldwide. In many cases, low back pain can resolve itself over a period of …
Putting the Spotlight on Trigeminal Neuralgia
The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) has designated August as Neurosurgery Awareness Month. Every year, this prestigious organization chooses a particular focus to highlight within the field. This year, the AANS has chosen to shed some light on trigeminal neuralgia (TN), a rare disorder that causes pain in certain areas of the face and head due to …
The Funny Bone (aka The Ulnar Nerve) Is No Laughing Matter
What’s so funny about the funny bone? Actually, nothing. This is what you quickly conclude if you accidentally hit just the right spot on your elbow. Suddenly, a shocking, tingling pain shoots right down your elbow, into your hand.It isn’t even a bone you’ve hit. It’s actually a nerve. Specifically, the ulnar nerve. This nerve, …
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New Clinical Trial For Metastatic Brain Tumors
Dr. James Chimenti is the co-principle investigator at Somerset Medical Center of a clinical trial being run by the National Cancer Institute to determine which type of radiation treatment is best for patients after they have undergone surgery to resect a metastatic brain tumor. The study, N107C, is a phase III trial of post-surgical stereotactic radiosurgery …
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