Once again, I’m dedicating this to folks in more or less advanced recovery from brain injury. Remember, brain damage isn’t just from an impact, there are many illnesses that can cause cognitive impairment. Many people are able to recover very well. Much of this is good for people who just... Read more →

We all know stress can affect our health on a variety of different levels. Poor immune function is one result of chronic stress, most commonly leading to increased susceptibility or longer duration of the cold or other common, mild infections. Researchers have now shown that higher levels of chronic... Read more →

A new study from the Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine has provided important clues to how chronic pain might throw our lives out of gear by affecting many areas of the cerebral cortex. Worse, if left unchecked, it could lead to irreversible damage to the interconnection between... Read more →

Since you’re pretty much on your own once they tell you you’re recovered, I’m dedicating this topic to everyone who is supposedly recovered, but who do not have functional lives yet. If this isn’t you, please keep reading, because it’s bound to be someone you know sooner... Read more →

Biopsies are important in the detection of cancerous and precancerous lesions, but they are painful, require anesthesia, and can leave scars. A new tool may remove the needles and blades involved, replacing them with a noninvasive, handheld scanner. A researcher at Queensland University of Technology... Read more →

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is an important imaging technique used in the medical field to diagnose many diseases and detect abnormalities in the human body non-invasively. In the neurological sense, an MRI is often performed to obtain an inner image of the brain if unusual activity is suspected.... Read more →

A woman called me recently about her uncle (for confidentiality, some of the details have been scrambled), who is tending a local business that is in a property held by the family. The uncle’s assistant manages to keep the processes of the business going, but things are falling into disrepair and,... Read more →

We all know the benefits of getting adequate sleep. Two recent studies points out the effects of sleep patterns on body weight. In one trial, children who slept less than 9 hours per night were three times as likely to be overweight, independent of their level of physical activity. Children with shorter... Read more →

I’ve written before about medical malpractice and the rising costs for physicians of all specialties. One of the things we as physicians really fear is malpractice lawsuits by patients. We are taught in medical school and in training that the number one way to prevent a lawsuit is to talk to the... Read more →

In this entry of my brain damage series, I’ll provide a clinical example to convey how the cultural dynamics of stigma can play out in clinicians’ behavior. Once upon a time, I acted as an advocate for a woman I’ll call Cindy, who was suffering from depression and cognitive difficulties... Read more →

Most of us rely on the pharmaceutical industry to some extent for our health and well-being, whether it’s for an occasional round of antibiotics, a flu vaccination, or medication regularly taken for a chronic condition. The industry is regularly under fire for inflating drug prices, misleading... Read more →