State of the art facilities for chronic pain management and surgery. Neuro Sciences Centers is fully equipped to handle all your pain management needs.
Diabetic neuropathy is a complication of diabetes that damages the nerves, primarily in the feet, hands, legs, and arms.
Causes:
High blood sugar levels damage the blood vessels that nourish the nerves
Oxidative stress caused by high blood sugar damages the myelin sheath, the protective layer around the nerves.
Symptoms:
Numbness, tingling, or burning sensations
Pain, especially at night or when walking
Weakness or muscle cramps
Foot deformities
Difficulty with balance and coordination
Loss of sensation in the feet, making it susceptible to injuries
Types:
Peripheral neuropathy:Most common type, affecting the nerves in the feet and hands.
Autonomic neuropathy:Affects the nerves that control involuntary functions, such as digestion, urination, and heart rate.
Proximal neuropathy:Affects the nerves in the thighs and buttocks.
Diagnosis:
Physical exam, Blood tests to check blood sugar levels, Nerve conduction study (NCS), and Electromyography (EMG).
Treatment:
Blood sugar control: Maintaining stable blood sugar levels is crucial.
Medications: Nerve pain medications, such as antidepressants or anticonvulsants.
Foot care: Regular foot checks, proper footwear, and avoiding smoking.
Physical therapy: To improve balance, coordination, and strength.
Surgery: In severe cases, to correct foot deformities.
Prevention:
Manage blood sugar levels effectively, Maintain a healthy weight, Exercise regularly, and Quit smoking.
Trigeminal neuralgia
Trigeminal neuralgia, also known as tic douloureux, is a chronic pain disorder that affects the trigeminal nerve, the main sensory nerve in the face.
Causes:
The exact cause of trigeminal neuralgia is unknown, but it is believed to be related to a compression or irritation of the trigeminal nerve by a nearby blood vessel or other structure.
Symptoms:
Trigeminal neuralgia typically causes sudden, severe, and excruciating pain on one side of the face. The pain is often described as:
electric shock-like, stabbing, burning, and throbbing.
The pain can be triggered by everyday activities such as brushing teeth, washing the face, or eating. It may also occur spontaneously.
Diagnosis:
A doctor can diagnose trigeminal neuralgia based on a physical examination, medical history, and imaging tests such as an MRI or CT scan.
Treatment:
Treatment for trigeminal neuralgia typically involves medication, such as anticonvulsants or pain relievers. Other treatments include:
Nerve blocks, Surgery, and Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).
Prognosis:
Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic condition, but it can be managed with treatment. Most people with trigeminal neuralgia experience periods of remission between pain episodes.
Stroke
A stroke, also known as a brain attack, occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, causing brain cells to die.
Types:
Ischemic stroke:
The most common type, caused by a blood clot that blocks an artery in the brain.
Hemorrhagic stroke:
Occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, leading to bleeding in the brain.
Causes:
High blood pressure
Heart disease
High cholesterol
Diabetes
Smoking
Obesity
Family history
Age (risk increases with age)
Symptoms:
Symptoms can vary depending on the severity and location of the stroke, but may include:
Sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body
Sudden confusion or difficulty speaking
Sudden difficulty seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking
Sudden severe headache
Sudden loss of balance or coordination
Treatment:
Time is critical in treating a stroke. Seek emergency medical attention immediately if you experience any stroke symptoms. Treatment may include:
Medications to dissolve the clot (for ischemic stroke)
Surgery to repair a ruptured blood vessel (for hemorrhagic stroke)
Rehabilitation to help regain lost function
Prevention:
Control high blood pressure
Manage heart disease
Lower cholesterol levels
Quit smoking
Maintain a healthy weight
Exercise regularly
Eat a healthy diet
Headaches
Headaches are a common neurological condition that can occur due to a number of possible reasons. A neurologist can help diagnose and treat headaches.
Types of headaches
Migraine: A throbbing pain that often affects one side of the head, and can cause nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound
Tension headache: A constant “band-like” pressure on both sides of the head
Trigeminal neuralgia: Sudden attacks of severe facial pain
Occipital neuralgia: Pain that starts in the neck and spreads upward
When to seek medical advice
Seek medical advice if you experience:
A headache that is severe or disrupts your daily life
A headache that worsens over 24 hours
A headache that occurs with a head injury
A headache that includes vision changes
A headache that occurs with other symptoms like balance loss, confusion, fever, or memory loss
Neurological tests
A neurologist may perform a physical exam, review your medical history, and order tests such as:
CT scan
MRI
EEG
Evoked potential (EP) tests
Electromyography (EMG)
Nerve conduction studies
Ultrasonic vascular studies
Memory disorders
Memory disorders are conditions that affect memory, thinking, and behavior. They can be caused by brain injury, disease, or other factors.
Common memory disorders
Alzheimer’s disease: Affects memory, behavior, and brain function
Dementia: A general term for a group of diseases that affect memory, thinking, and behavior
Amnesia: Temporary or permanent loss of memory
Delirium: A sudden change in thinking or behavior
Transient global amnesia (TGA): A sudden, temporary loss of short-term memory
Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome: Causes confusion, amnesia, impaired short-term memory, and difficulty learning new information
Other memory disorders
Vascular dementia
Lewy body dementia
Frontotemporal dementia
Progressive supranuclear palsy
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)
HIV dementia
Some memory disorders can be treated, while others may permanently damage your ability to learn new things or retrieve memories.
Brain Tumors Cancers
Brain tumors are cancerous growths that can affect the brain and surrounding tissues. They can be malignant (cancerous) or benign (noncancerous).
Malignant brain tumors
Medulloblastoma: The most common malignant brain tumor in children, usually affecting those between the ages of 5 and 9
Olfactory neuroblastoma: A rare malignant tumor that develops in the nose
Chondrosarcoma: A malignant bone cancer that mainly affects cartilage, usually developing in patients between the ages of 50 and 70
Glioblastoma: A common malignant brain tumor
Astrocytoma: A common malignant brain tumor
Oligodendroglioma: A common malignant brain tumor
Mixed gliomas: A common malignant brain tumor Metastatic brain tumors
Metastatic brain tumors
These tumors originate as cancer elsewhere in the body and then spread to the brain
Common cancers that can spread to the brain include breast, lung, and melanoma
Benign brain tumors
These tumors can grow but do not spread
Most tumors that happen in and around the pituitary gland are benign
Brain tumors can be treated with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.
Movement disorders
Movement disorders are neurological conditions that affect movement control, speed, and smoothness. They can involve too much movement, too little movement, or abnormal postures.
Types of movement disorders
Ataxia: Loss of muscle coordination that can lead to imbalance, clumsiness, and difficulty walking
Dystonia: Involuntary muscle contractions that can cause twisting and repetitive movements
Essential tremor: Involuntary rhythmic shaking, usually in the hands
Parkinson’s disease: Slowed movement, tremors, and imbalance caused by brain deterioration
Tourette syndrome: Sudden tics, movements, or sounds that can be uncontrollable
Chorea: Repetitive, brief, irregular, and involuntary movements that usually involve the face, mouth, trunk, and limbs
Causes
Brain injury, such as head trauma
Infection, inflammation, or metabolic disturbances
Toxins
Side effects of medications
Genetic disorders
Treatments
Medication, Physical therapy, Occupational therapy, Mobility aids, Speech therapy, Psychotherapy, Deep brain stimulation, and Clinical trials.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a chronic brain disorder that causes seizures, which are brief episodes of involuntary movement. Seizures occur when there’s an abnormal electrical discharge in the brain.
Symptoms
Loss of consciousness or awareness
Loss of control of bladder or bowel function
Difficulty hearing or seeing
Uncontrolled muscle movements
Blank stare
Temporary confusion
Changes in taste, smell, vision, or hearing
Feelings of numbness or tingling
Psychic symptoms like fear, anxiety, or déjà vu
Causes
Imbalance of neurotransmitters, which are nerve-signaling chemicals
Tumors
Strokes
Brain damage from injury or illness
High or low blood sugar
Alcohol or drug withdrawal
Brain concussion
Treatment Anti-epileptic drugs, Brain surgery, Electrical devices implanted in the body, and Ketogenic diet.
Outlook
Epilepsy is a lifelong condition for most people
Most people with epilepsy can live normal lives if their seizures are well controlled
With proper diagnosis and treatment, an estimated 70% of people with epilepsy could be seizure free
