Blog Archive
Distinguishing Between NMO, MOG Antibody Disease, and MS: A Neurologist's Guide Introduction: As a neurologist, I often encounter patients with complex neurological conditions that can present with similar symptoms. Among these conditions, neuromyelitis optica (NMO), MOG antibody disease, and multiple sclerosis (MS) share some clinical features, making accurate diagnosis challenging....
As a neurologist, I am constantly amazed by the interconnectedness of various systems in the human body and their influence on brain development. A recent article titled "Muscle Contractions Release Chemical Signals That Promote Brain Network Development" published on PsyPost delves into an intriguing study that highlights the fascinating relationship...
Title: Posttraumatic Headache Associated with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Neurologist's Perspective Introduction: In a recent article published in Practical Neurology, the association between posttraumatic headache (PTH) and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is examined. As neurologists, understanding and effectively managing PTH is crucial for providing optimal care to...
As neurologists, we are constantly driven by a quest for knowledge, seeking to uncover the mysteries of the human brain and nervous system. Recently, an intriguing study conducted by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center has shed light on a fascinating aspect of spinal cord injury: the role of...
As a neurologist, I have seen firsthand the profound impact that sleep has on our overall health and wellbeing. Adequate sleep is essential for maintaining a healthy brain and body, and it plays a crucial role in regulating our mood and emotions. Numerous studies have shown that people who do...
Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide, causing pain, numbness, and weakness in the extremities. There are many different causes of peripheral neuropathy, ranging from diabetes to chemotherapy to genetic disorders. Despite the many treatments available for peripheral neuropathy, some patients continue to experience debilitating symptoms....
Sleep apnea is a common, yet serious sleep disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. It occurs when a person's breathing is repeatedly interrupted during sleep, leading to decreased oxygen levels in the blood and disrupted sleep patterns. As a neurologist, I have seen firsthand the impact that sleep apnea...
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a revolutionary treatment that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain. TMS is non-invasive and painless, making it a safe and effective alternative to traditional treatments for a variety of psychiatric and, possibly, neurological disorders. Currently it is only FDA approved for...
We are dedicated to providing our patients with the highest quality of care for a wide range of neurological conditions, including neuropathy. Neuropathy is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide and can have a significant impact on their quality of life. In this blog post, we will discuss...
Currently, many neurologists do yearly MRIs to monitor multiple sclerosis disease activity. There is a new blood test that may monitor multiple sclerosis disease activity better in clinically stable patients. The test is called sNfL (serum neurofilament). It measures the breakdown of a certain part of neurons, which occurs when multiple sclerosis...
People suffering from migraines can feel throbbing pain which can range from mild to severe pain that can interfere with your daily activities. Migraine attacks can give off a signal before it can occur, such as seeing flashes of light, blind spots or tingling on one side of your face....
The heart is a delicate thing for us. Emotionally, it is our soul and passion. Physically, it is the powerhouse that keeps us going. In both senses, it is vitally important. That’s why it’s dangerous when things go wrong. In America, almost 800,000 people have a heart attack each year,...
We’re accustomed to joint problems increasing as we age into our wisest selves but there is a small population that experiences this at a young age. Juvenile arthritis (JA) is an umbrella term for several autoimmune and inflammatory diseases that can affect children. There are 7 different types of...
What is Myasthenia Gravis (MG)? Myasthenia Gravis is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in skeletal muscles. The name translates from Latin and Greek origins to “grave, or serious, muscle weakness”. This disease targets muscles that are responsible for breathing and moving body parts, like arms and legs,...
Winter sports are a fun and exhilarating way to enjoy the cold, snowy months. Gliding on ice, speeding down a hill, balancing on a board—it’s all quite exciting. But, high speeds and hard grounds can pose extra risks. Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are a leading cause of disability and death...
Turning clocks ahead an hour during spring or turning them back one hour during the fall is annually done for the Daylight Saving Time (DST). This annual transition has been used in many European countries and the United States since World War I. While Germany and other countries in Europe...
A pleasant winter wonderland with a blanket of snow fluttering down is a scene from many of our dreams. Unfortunately, winter may not be all cozy times. For almost 30,000 people, it’s when they end up in the emergency room from shoveling related injuries—often back related—each year. After the allure...
Chronic back pain can be caused by a number of things, such as painful discs, sacroiliac joint pain, or facet joint arthrosis. Other common causes of chronic back pain are the physical changes that occur during pregnancy. These changes coupled with the birthing process can put a lot of strain...
The holidays are an exciting time filled with cookies, cakes, pies, and cheer. But an increasing number of people are becoming sugar conscious and understanding of the real weight of these sweet treats. From 1990 to 2010, the rate of diabetes in American adults tripled and there are now about...
Sometimes the things that go bump in the night are more than just a child’s imagination. As the world becomes chronically tired, more effort has been invested to understand sleep. Many are becoming familiar with common sleep disorders like sleep apnea, insomnia, and narcolepsy but there’s a section of sleep...
Pain is one of those inevitable fates many of us have accepted as being fact. The level of pain everyone lives with is different but we can all sympathize; pain is no fun. Our body is covered in receptor nerve cells, from the tips of our fingers and toes to...
Psoriasis is one of the most common autoimmune diseases in the world affecting 125 million people globally. That’s almost 3% of the population, and of those, about 8 million are Americans. Up to 30% of those with psoriasis will likely develop psoriatic arthritis. The true cause of psoriasis isn’t fully...
It’s hard to imagine a young child having a condition often associated with our beloved elders but arthritis is a very real problem for 300,000 children with juvenile arthritis (JA). Having a condition like this at such a young age can present unique obstacles. Children may not always be fully...
Aphasia, sometimes called dysphasia, is an acquired language disorder that affects 2 million people in the United States but most people have never heard of it. In fact, 84.5% of Americans are unaware of this condition. For a condition that afflicts so many people and with 80,000 new cases each...
Literally meaning “porous bone”, osteoporosis is a very common bone disease causing bones to be weak and brittle. Like other tissues in our body new bone cells are created to replace the old ones but in osteoporosis, the body loses too much bone, can’t keep up with replacing the old...
Spring is coming and many of us feel the renewed energy that comes with it. This is a great time for people to let air in through open windows and clear out unwanted junk. Maybe you’ve been Marie Kondo-ing your life too since watching her Netflix show or reading her...
2019 is ramping up to be the “year of healthy” for many people. With modern science, a plethora of information at our fingertips, and a better understanding for the need to take care of ourselves people are buying up the latest gadgets, apps, and anything else they can get their...
February is American Heart Month. The heart is the pump that keeps the body going. It has physical and emotional meanings for us so it’s important to take care of it. There’s also reason to believe that preventing heart disease may help with preventing dementia. A great way to take care...
Have you set your resolutions for 2019? Have you kept up with it or has it already began to fall to the wayside? Many of us begin the year optimistically with a handful of goals and aspirations we’d like to accomplish by the end of the year only to find...
The holidays season is an exciting time of year. The chance to see family, friends, celebrate good cheer, and, of course, gifts! But it can also be a very stressful time. Finding and buying gifts, holiday gatherings, multiple events in one day. We can end up stretching ourselves thin during...
Epilepsy is a broad-term neurological condition that causes seizures. It affects people of all ages, genders, races, and status. Epilepsy affects 65 million people globally — 3.4 million are in the US. 1 in 26 people will develop epilepsy during their lifetime in the US. There are 150,000 new cases of epilepsy...
What is a CPAP? CPAP is an acronym for continuous positive airway pressure. It’s a small machine that blows air through a tube and mask that allows for your airways to stay open so you can breathe. The strength of the pressure depends on the severity of the sleep apnea....
Integrated Neurology Services will be hosting a table at several of the local Walk to End Alzheimer’s events in the Virginia/Maryland/DC area. Come by and say hi! Reston, VA: September 23rd National Harbor, MD: September 29th Washington DC at the National Mall: October 13th Even if you’re not local to us, see if there are any walks...
This September is the 7th World Alzheimer’s Month, a campaign created every September to raise international awareness. A goal for the campaign is to increase an understanding of dementia globally and fight stigmas that may surround it by the unaware and misinformed. The difference between Alzheimer’s Disease and DementiaAlzheimer’s disease...
Psoriasis Psoriasis is a skin condition that forms red patchy scales that are itchy and can be painful. The lifecycle of kin cells is sped up causing them to build up rapidly on the surface. This is a chronic disease with no cure that can come and go. Management through...
We had the honor and privilege of having Julie work with us for two weeks for her neurology rotation. We wish her the best of luck in her pursuit of higher education and know that she will be an amazing doctor. We will miss you and hope you’ll come to...
The FLUENT study will be closing enrollment at the end of the month, on June 30, 2018! Those diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) who are interested in trying Gilenya (fingolimod) for the first time may be eligible to participate. The study simply asks for a few questionnaires and a blood...
Every year National Safety Awareness is observed in June to minimize injury and death on the road, at home, and at work. Injuries are the leading cause of death for Americans ages 1 to 40. The good news? Everyone can get involved to help prevent injuries. This June, we encourage...
Learning the signs and symptoms of a stroke and knowing how to act FAST can be life-saving. This month is marked by National Stroke Awareness month. Here are the numbers: About 800,000 people have a new or recurrent stroke every year. That comes down to a person having a stroke...
What It Is Sleep apnea, spelled ‘apnoea’ by our friends across the pond, is one of the most common sleep disorders in the United States. People affected by the disorder experience involuntary interruptions in their breathing, lasting at least 10 seconds, as they sleep. The word ‘apnea’ is of Greek...
You know what they say, ‘what’s good for the heart is good for the brain’. Ok, it might not actually be a saying but maybe it should be. There is increasing information that steps to prevent heart disease may also prevent or slow dementia. A rising public epidemic is railing...
Think about the last time you were wrapped in a blanket drinking a cup of hot cocoa as a snowstorm rages on outside. Or cuddling on the sofa with a loved one as you watched the latest blockbuster. Or the joy of having a summer-time barbecue with your friends. What...
It’s a new year and we thought we’d start it off with a new site. We are proud to announce the launch of our new website. It has all the same great information as our old one; click around to learn more about our services. If you have any questions...
It’s no mystery that sleep (rather, lack of) and stress can go hand in hand. Being overstressed keeps you awake at night and leads to unrestful sleep, while being sleep deprived causes things to stress you out easier and less able to handle the tasks of the day, inevitably becoming a cranky...
1. The first notable case of multiple sclerosis (MS) was of Augustus d’Este (1794–1848), a cousin of Queen Victoria, as he fully documented his disease but many believe Lidwina of Holland in the 14th century had MS long before him. Lidwina of Schiedam is the patron saint of ice skating...
We remember being told as children to drink milk to have strong bones. The ‘Got Milk?’ campaign centered around milk being essential to healthy bones. As we get older we may replace milk with soft drinks and forget to be mindful of our bones, that is until we notice our joints...
This September marks the 6th annual global World Alzheimer’s Month. This year is following the theme “Remember Me” and emphasizes the importance of early detection and diagnosis of dementia. The Nothern Virginia area will be hosting several walks throughout the month to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s and dementia in communities....