Neurology
Healing in a new land: the power of community and kindness
Howera is a twenty-nine-year-old Ethiopian woman. She saw me in the neurology clinic for headaches. Two years previously, she had come to America to join her husband. Since her arrival, he beat her physically and abused her sexually. Being a stranger in a strange land and not speaking English, she suffered in silence. Finally, she could take it no longer. She ran away. For the past six months, she had …
Revolutionizing migraine treatment: the untold story of beta-blocker nasal sprays [PODCAST]
My health ended my career. Joe Biden’s health should prompt the same action. [PODCAST]
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We welcome Jennifer Obel, an oncology physician, who shares her personal journey of retiring from a fulfilling medical career due to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Reflecting on the recent presidential debate and the health concerns …
Where did the physician to physician courtesy go?
In recent years, the medical landscape has seen significant changes, not all of them favorable. One of the most noticeable shifts is the increasing reliance on physician extenders—such as nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs)—to handle a substantial portion of patient care. While this model works well for a broad segment of the population, it doesn’t suit everyone’s needs. As a physician myself, I understand the importance of efficient …
How to ensure you receive a proper Alzheimer’s screening [PODCAST]
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Join us for an insightful discussion with Carol Steinberg, a journalist and patient advocate, as we explore the critical issues surrounding Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive screening. Carol shares her personal experiences with the …
Working with your patients to promote healthy brain aging
As a behavioral neurologist and professor in the departments of neurology, psychiatry, and physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Pennsylvania, my research focuses on using noninvasive brain stimulation technologies to help people with cognitive problems due to neurological disorders. I also study human cognition with the goal of better understanding how different parts of the brain work in order to help people preserve their brain health and cognition …
Changing the medical system with empathy [PODCAST]
Lewy body dementia: a journey through hallucinations and imagination
An excerpt from The Sea Glass Epidemic.
… It was at this time the mouse asked Beth if he could bring over some friends. Naturally, Beth assumed the mouse was talking about other mice. Much to her surprise, the mouse ran into the kitchen, walked under the doorway into the laundry room, and disappeared behind the water heater.
“Be right back,” he called over his shoulder. A few minutes later, the …
How neurologists can repair the home of broken promises
“I broke our only promise,” swelling with guilt, Sarah wept as she stumbled out of the front door. Two years ago, her father asked her to never leave him in a nursing home. They pinky promised.
But how could anyone have predicted what would follow in the upcoming years? His dementia progressively worsened, complicated by falls every three months. Despite balancing his growing needs while also providing for her family, there …
The first time I walked again after a spinal cord injury
Once upon a time, I’d imagined myself the Lone Ranger physician, self-sufficient and incapable of weakness, and when I had my spinal cord injury in 2008, I really felt alone, in the negative spiral of a victim mindset, my own worst enemy and in a dark space where my idea of myself felt entirely lost.
Then, one day, in December 2009, I heard about a center for spinal cord injury recovery …
Big pharma ignores low-cost migraine solution
If you are a fan of pharma, you might want to skip this article. Some pharma enthusiasts will call it a rant. By pharma, I mean avaricious pharmaceutical (a pleonasm) companies collectively. On the other hand, those of you who treat acute migraines will learn of a highly effective, innovative, inexpensive, and relatively safe way to help many of your migraineurs. Those of you who believe that pharma is interested …
Alzheimer’s agony: a son’s vow to never endure
An excerpt from Winter’s End: Dementia and Dying Well.
Are there really fates worse than death? Like most people, Dan Winter was uncertain. That is until he visited his father at a memory care unit in Lawrence, Kansas.
Dan’s father had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 70. Winton “Wint” Allen Winter Sr. survived for 13 years, spending his final days in …
I had a (incorrect) memory screening. Have you even had one?
Although it’s hard for me to comprehend and even harder to admit, I’m “of age” to be on Medicare. Recently, I visited my primary care physician (PCP) for a Medicare Annual Wellness Visit, a one-hour appointment that requires the inclusion of a cognitive screening—whether or not the patient or clinician suspects a decline in memory, judgment, or other brain functions.
The myriad brief screening tools, consisting of various questions and tasks, …
Breaking through the cobwebs of dementia
“Some memories are unforgettable, remaining ever vivid and heartwarming!”
– Joseph B. Wirthlin
I love my role as a hospice volunteer mostly because I enjoy meeting the patients and hearing their life stories. I heard a tale from the Vietnam vet who won the Congressional Medal of Honor, which he humbly said was for “just driving a jeep.” (He later admitted that he saved a general by “just driving a jeep” through …
How my sister’s rights were taken away, like thousands of others with developmental disabilities
Teresa has Down syndrome and was 49 when the capacity assessment took place in Ontario.
I saw her as happy, healthy, and active. She enjoyed living nearby with my 91-year-old father, who often said, “We’re a team. We help each other.”
But that’s not how the social worker saw her.
Teresa didn’t understand what the assessment was for, and according to the records, she did not agree to be …
Can you predict Alzheimer’s? New research on early detection.
You can’t treat something until you know it’s there. Currently, there’s no cure for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) but earlier diagnosis may lead to better understanding of how the disease inexorably progresses, which in turn may lead to prevention of AD and ultimately eradication of this horrific scourge. The latest breakthroughs in earlier diagnosis and even perhaps pre-diagnosis have involved lumbar punctures, brain MRIs, eye exams, and blood tests.
A 2024 study, …
Inside the mind of Alzheimer’s: a caregiver’s haunting nightmare
An excerpt from Releasing the Butterfly: A Love Affair in Four Acts.
Imagine there must be thousands, if not millions, of family members and caregivers who wonder what it must be like to be the one who has Alzheimer’s. Genie and I have always shared our thoughts and experiences with each other. Often, I would imagine telling her about something that had happened to me and could hear her voice …
Surviving a 28-hour hospital shift: a resident’s struggle and passion
I recently worked a 28-hour shift in the hospital. I am on a rotation where I work these long shifts every four days, and my last 3 or 4 of these shifts have been the kind that really tries a person’s soul. I got called all night to see new patients and take care of existing ones, and mind you, this is after a 6:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. day …
How narrative medicine empowers neurodivergent patients
It’s been said that the challenges neurodiverse people face are the ones that neurotypical people view as easy, and vice versa. It speaks to the hard-wired diversity of cognitive styles and perspectives among different individuals.
Neurotypical people, who generally fit within the societal norms of cognitive functioning, might find certain tasks or social situations easier due to their alignment with mainstream expectations. On the other hand, neurodivergent individuals, who have variations …
Past Week
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The future of orthopedic care: Embracing the ASC-urgent care model
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The hidden truth about ghost networks: one mom’s fight for mental health care justice
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Do you think the needle is moving in health care?
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is talking when they should be listening
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What the death of UnitedHealth CEO reveals about our broken health care system
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American tears and allyship: Who is at your table?
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Past 6 Months
Recent Posts
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SIBO and IBS: the hidden link keeping millions in pain
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How Medicaid expansion could transform health care in Georgia [PODCAST]
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How physicians can win support for AI—and better patient care
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Texas’ Medicaid expansion: a lifesaving solution ignored
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America’s democracy is on the brink: Will leaders act before it’s too late?
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The impact of digital health tools on preventing chronic disease: a public health revolution
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Past Week
-
The future of orthopedic care: Embracing the ASC-urgent care model
-
The hidden truth about ghost networks: one mom’s fight for mental health care justice
-
Do you think the needle is moving in health care?
-
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is talking when they should be listening
-
What the death of UnitedHealth CEO reveals about our broken health care system
-
American tears and allyship: Who is at your table?
-
Past 6 Months
Recent Posts
-
SIBO and IBS: the hidden link keeping millions in pain
-
How Medicaid expansion could transform health care in Georgia [PODCAST]
-
How physicians can win support for AI—and better patient care
-
Texas’ Medicaid expansion: a lifesaving solution ignored
-
America’s democracy is on the brink: Will leaders act before it’s too late?
-
The impact of digital health tools on preventing chronic disease: a public health revolution
-
