Blog Archive
As the most frequent brain tumor type, meningiomas are responsible for nearly two in five (37.6%) primary brain tumor diagnoses. The average meningioma is benign (non-cancerous, non-invasive, and non-aggressive), slow-growing, and treatable. Fellowship-trained neurosurgical oncologist Dr. Jose Valerio offers a few basic facts about these common brain tumors and explains...
When it comes to spinal tumors, about 97% are secondary tumors, meaning they come from a cancer that has metastasized from another site and spread to the spine. That means about 3% of spinal tumors are primary tumors, which are those that begin in the spine. One of the biggest...
If you or a loved one recently received the life-altering diagnosis of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), you probably want to learn all you can about this aggressive and incurable grade IV brain tumor. Separating fact from fiction is a good place to start. There are many pervasive myths and misconceptions about brain...
Each year in the United States, more than 10,000 people find out they have an abnormal growth on their pituitary gland. Most of these pituitary tumors are benign (noncancerous) growths called pituitary adenomas; very few are pituitary carcinomas, or malignant growths with the potential to spread and invade other tissues. ...
Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic pain disorder characterized by severe facial aching. The pain may be sudden and sporadic, causing stabbing, electric-like shocks down one side of your face, or it may be a constant, less severe, and more widespread form of burning discomfort. Sometimes described as “the most excruciating pain...
Metastatic cancer is the medical term for cancer that has spread from its original site to other body areas or distant organs. A brain metastasis develops when a few cancer cells break away from a primary tumor, travel through the bloodstream, deposit in the brain — often in the cerebral hemispheres or...
A brain tumor diagnosis is more than life-changing, it’s life-upending — both for the individual who receives it and the family and friends who love them. This is especially true when the diagnosis involves glioblastoma, which is one of the most aggressive and treatment-resistant cancers in existence. Also known as...
If sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction has been identified as the cause of your chronic lower back pain or the persistent, sciatica-like pain that radiates through your hip, buttock, and leg, conservative treatment strategies are often the first line of defense. However, if over-the-counter pain medication, physical therapy, anti-inflammatory injections, radiofrequency...
As the most common brain tumor type, meningiomas account for 37.6% of primary brain tumor diagnoses. The typical meningioma grows slowly, often existing for years before it presses on brain structures and causes problems. Smaller meningiomas that aren’t causing symptoms are sometimes discovered by chance during coincidental MRI testing. Each...
Doctors diagnose more than 10,000 pituitary tumors every year in the United States. Nearly all of these abnormal growths are benign (noncancerous) pituitary adenomas. On rare occasions, a pituitary tumor is an invasive, cancerous growth called a pituitary carcinoma. An estimated one in 10 people develop a pituitary adenoma at some point in their lifetime. While...
Nearly one in three brain tumors are meningiomas, which are slow-growing tumors that originate in the spiderweb-like, three-layer membrane (meninges) that covers the brain and spinal cord. Specifically, a meningioma growth arises out of the arachnoid cells that make up the middle layer of this thin protective membrane. Most meningiomas...
Chronic face pain can be both worrisome and difficult to live with, especially when the pain is deep, burning, and intense — and seemingly unexplainable. When common causes of persistent face pain, such as chronic sinusitis, dental disease, facial trauma, headaches, and temporomandibular joint jaw dysfunction, have been effectively ruled...
Metastatic cancer is a cancer that has spread from its original site to other parts of the body. It happens when cancer cells break away from a primary tumor and travel through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. It can also occur when a cancer tumor spreads beyond its initial site...
Spine tumors are abnormal masses of tissue that develop anywhere on the spine. They can grow on your spinal column (vertebrae), along the central nerve network housed inside your spinal column (spinal cord), or within the protective tissue layers surrounding your spinal cord (meninges). Diagnosing spinal tumors can be challenging:...
Sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction is a condition that can cause chronic lower back pain and/or radiating, sciatica-like leg pain symptoms. While there are conservative treatments that can help people who are suffering from this condition, sometimes the best option is SI joint fusion. Jose Valerio, MD, whose practice has locations...
If you’re a good candidate for spine surgery, your condition, physical health, and other key factors help determine the best surgical technique for your needs. In some cases, laser spine surgery may be the recommended approach. As a fellowship-trained neurosurgeon who specializes in laser surgery, Jose Valerio, MD, can use this advanced,...
When you first developed chronic back pain, you probably tried a variety of conservative treatments in a bid to attain relief. You may have even noticed some short-lived improvement with over-the-counter pain relievers, chiropractic care, physical therapy, or epidural steroid injections. But when your back pain persisted or gradually worsened,...
Whether you’re having spine surgery to address chronic back or neck pain or to remove a problematic tumor, taking time to prepare for your procedure as well as your post-surgical recovery period can improve your experience and outcome. While you can expect to receive detailed discharge instructions along with prescriptions for necessities, such...
Located at the base of your brain, the pituitary gland is a small, pea-sized organ that plays an essential role in hormone production, release, and regulation. Pituitary gland dysfunction isn’t common, but when it does occur, it’s usually the result of a tumor. Every year in the United States, doctors...
Hydrocephalus is the abnormal and dangerous buildup of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within the brain. Commonly referred to as “water on the brain,” the term hydrocephalus is derived from a combination of two Greek words: hydro (water) and cephalus (head). Hydrocephalus affects more than a million people in the United States,...
As your body’s central support structure, your spine helps you sit, stand, walk, twist, and bend. Every component of a normal, healthy spinal column — from the vertebrae, facet joints, and discs to the spinal cord, nerves, and supporting soft tissues — work in concert to facilitate pain-free movement and...
Scheduling brain tumor surgery to remove a meningioma can bring you a substantial amount of emotional relief, but it can also leave you with a whole new set of questions and concerns. For many patients, the possibility of recurrence is one of the biggest concerns. Although many cases of meningioma...
As a leading cause of chronic discomfort, inactivity, and work limitations, back pain is one of the most common physical complaints in the United States. Back pain is so common, in fact, that an estimated 75-85% of American adults experience it at some point in their lives. When back pain...
Glioblastoma — also known as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) — is one of the most complex, aggressive, and treatment-resistant cancers in existence. It’s also the most common form of brain cancer in adults, accounting for almost half of all primary malignant brain tumors. About 14,000 people are diagnosed with glioblastoma every...
When you first heard your cancer diagnosis, you thought it couldn’t get any worse. Then you learned that it could spread to other parts of your body. Sometimes, cancer cells break away from the original site and travel in your bloodstream searching for other places to set up shop, a...
The human spine is a columnar structure made up of stacks of bones that provide the stability and support to the body. The entire length of the spinal column has a large central passage through which the spinal cord extends downwards and small holes at each side allow Spinal nerves...
Do you know how to differentiate a Neurosurgeon and a Neurologist? These specialists are usually confused but there are remarkable differences when it comes to the disorders they treat and how they do it. Read this blog and find out. Neurology is a medical specialty occupied by several professionals such...
Are you thinking about becoming a Neurosurgeon? Many questions come to our mind when we decide which path to take in our professional lives. And if neurosurgery is calling your attention, read carefully because we're going to give you some answers that may help you in this article. What is a...
Your body responds to the way you think, feel and act. There is a connection between mind and body. People who are in good emotional health are aware of their thoughts, feelings and behaviors. There are ways you can improve your emotional health. First, try to recognize your emotions and...
Leading a healthy life and avoiding a sedentary lifestyle and excesses can reduce the risk of suffering from neurodegenerative diseases. We know that there are certain health practices that can help us take care of our brains. That is why today we will talk about 5 tips to keep your...
Have you ever heard about Cerebral Aneurysm? Do you know anyone that has suffered one? You might answer yes for one or both but do you really know what it is? Let’s help you with that. A Cerebral Aneurysm, also called a Brain Aneurysm or an Intracranial Aneurysm is a ballooning arising from a weakened...
What is it ? Long working hours can cause pain and discomfort in muscles, tendons and joints. Such ailments occur both by physical effort, repetitive movements, sustained postures or by spending a lot of time standing or sitting. Active breaks are short breaks, at work or at home, in which...
What is Trigeminal Neuralgia? Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic pain condition that affects the trigeminal nerve, which carries sensation from your face to your brain. If you have trigeminal neuralgia, even mild stimulation of your face — such as from brushing your teeth or putting on makeup — may trigger...
It is imperative that we take care of our health, and this includes knowing the symptoms of different diseases to react at any time of emergency. The brain is one of the essential organs, and we should always take active care of it. Let us start from the beginning; the...
It is a fact that brain cancer is one of the most difficult to detect early on, given that most of the time it can start developing 5 years before any symptom is clearly shown, this is due to the tumor having little space to grow, and symptoms are a...
When we hear about brain cancer there’s nothing we want more than to search for information from wherever we can find it so we can make sense of it. The thing is that we can not always be sure if any of it is backed up by science or if...