Posts for category: Neurology
You feel a bad migraine coming on - what do you do? If you don't want to be suffer through debilitating pain all day, you try one of these nine ways to deal with migraines to experience quick relief.
1. Switch Environments: If your migraine is caused by loud noises, bright lights or over-stimulation, get away to a quiet, dark room to rest for a while if you can.
2. Avoid Triggers: Keep a journal to determine which foods and situations are most likely to trigger your migraines. Avoid them whenever possible.
3. Take a Nap: If napping is an option, go lay down right away. You'll feel much better when you wake up.
4. Exercise: Alternately, exercising is a great way to take care of your body and keep those migraines at bay.
5. Take an Over-the-Counter Pain Reliever: If you need the pain gone immediately and you don't have time to try some of the other, more natural pain relief options, an over-the-counter pain reliever can knock the pain out fast.
6. Reduce Stress: Your body doesn't like stress; can you blame it? Find ways to reduce your stress and clear your head, and your migraines might just dissipate on their own.
7. Get a Massage: A massage always feels wonderful, especially when you have a migraine to treat.
8. Have a Little Caffeine: While caffeine can be a major migraine trigger, oftentimes just a little caffeine can help, especially if you have recently quit drinking soda and your body is going through withdrawal.
9. Visit Neurology & Sleep Clinics of Chicago, SC for Botox: If none of the at-home remedies seem to be working and it's time to try something a little more serious, it may be time to visit Neurology & Sleep Clinics of Chicago, SC for Botox. Many people don't realize it, but, in addition to smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles, Botox is also medically approved to help treat migraines as well.
Don't suffer through migraine pain day after day. Try any of the above at-home remedies and then call or visit Neurology & Sleep Clinics of Chicago, SC in Schaumburg migraine help today.
By Dr. Rosalyn Aranas and Dr. Esmeralda
October 03, 2014
Category:
Neurology
Tags:
Electroencephalography
There are over 600 diseases of the nervous system, including brain tumors, Alzheimer’s disease, meningitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. If you suspect that your symptoms are characteristic of a neurological condition, you need a trusted neurologist who has special training and knowledge to help diagnose and treat the problem. With the hundreds of nervous system disorders out there, it’s important that we are able to pinpoint whether your symptoms are neurologically rooted. Here are some of the diagnostic testing we offer to give you the answers and peace of mind you’ve been looking for:Electroencephalography (EEG)
An EEG records electrical activity in the brain. With the use of electrodes, which are placed on a patient’s scalp, a computer records brain activity. There are several types of EEGs that we offer, including our outpatient routine EEG, ambulatory prolonged EEG, and overnight inpatient continuous video EEG. If you’ve already scheduled your upcoming EEG, here’s what you should expect from your appointment:
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We will measure your head and the electrodes will be placed on your scalp (don’t worry—this doesn’t hurt at all!)
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We will ask you to lie down and get comfortable (easy enough, right?)
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We may ask you to take deep or fast breathes during your EEG, but otherwise you can lie down and relax for the majority of your visit.
- The test will take about 90 minutes
We typically run overnight EEGs to record seizure disorders. For these tests we recommend bringing someone with you, as well as packing food and entertainment (you will be here a while and we don’t want you to get bored!).
Ambulatory EEGs record brain activity for 24 to 72 hours. We apply the electrodes and then ask the patient to complete a diary of daily activities and symptoms throughout this time period. You can go about your standard routine; however, strenuous exercise isn’t recommended. Afterwards, you will return to our office so we can remove the electrodes and look at the results.
Nerve conduction and electromyography study (EMG/NCV)
An electromyogram studies the electrical activity of the muscles during rest and contraction. We may recommend this testing if you are experiencing pain or numbness in your legs. These tests will also check the health of your spinal nerves, as well as the nerves in your arms and legs. This test can pinpoint tissue and nerve damage, herniated discs, carpal tunnel syndrome and Guillain- Barré syndrome.
Vagus nerve stimulation programming for epilepsy
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) helps prevent seizures through the use of mild electrical pulses that are sent from the vagus nerve to the brain. This device is similar to a pacemaker and is implanted in your chest. Then the wire is implanted around your vagus nerve in the left side of the neck. Both the strength and timing of the electric pulses are programmed by us and are based on your specific health needs. This is a simple procedure that can sometimes be offered as an outpatient treatment.
These are only some of the diagnostic testing we offer our patients. If you need to schedule an appointment with your neurologist, call us at (847) 929-4420.
A good night’s rest should be a must, not a luxury. That’s the message sleep medicine physicians Dr. Rosalyn Aranas and Dr. Esmeralda Park share with their Schaumburg sleep medicine patients at Neurology & Sleep Clinics of Chicago.
Sleep disorders interfere in some way with a person getting a good night’s rest. For example, sleep apnea causes a person to take pauses in breathing while sleeping, which can cause them to wake up several times over the course of a night. Restless leg syndrome causes a person to have a frequent tingling sensation or jerking to the legs, which can keep a person awake. Insomnia prohibits a person from falling or staying asleep. Narcolepsy is another condition that causes a person to unknowingly experience “sleep attacks” where he or she falls asleep without intending to.
Regardless of your sleep disorder, our physicians and healthcare team at Neurology & Sleep Clinics of Chicago can help diagnose your condition and find a solution to help them achieve a better night’s rest.
Sleep Disorders are Highly Treatable and Can Enhance a Patient’s Quality of Life
While each sleep disorder has its own unique characteristics, some signs a patient may be experiencing a sleep disorder include feeling sleepy throughout the day, awaking with his or her own snoring, awaking as if you have fallen asleep, feeling constantly sleepy even when you have had a full night’s rest.
Sleep disorders are more than a minor nuisance—they affect a person’s health and job performance. If a person suspects they may have a sleep disorder, we can perform a health history and potentially schedule a sleep study to examine the person’s sleep behaviors.
Treating sleep disorders can be complicated and take several approaches. This includes everything from medications to machines that aid in sleeping to working on practicing better sleep hygiene habits. But whatever the condition, the experts at Neurology & Sleep Clinics of Chicago often have a solution that helps patients finally achieve a healthy night’s sleep.
If you have the symptoms of a sleep disorder, call Neurology & Sleep Clinics of Chicago, S.C. to make an appointment to see a sleep medicine physician at (847) 929-4420. To learn about additional services Dr. Aranas and Dr. Park offer, please explore our practice website for more information.
If you or a loved one has been newly diagnosed with epilepsy it can be scary and overwhelming to understand. You may have a lot of questions about epilepsy, so let’s take a closer look at epilepsy, what it is and everything in between so that you can better understand.
What is Epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a neurological condition that affects the nervous system. It is usually diagnosed after a person has had at least two seizures that were not caused by a known medical condition. In other terms, they were unprovoked, which means they were not brought on by a clear cause such as alcohol withdrawal, heart problems or extremely low blood sugar. The seizures experienced might be the result of a hereditary tendency or a brain injury, but the cause is ultimately unknown.
It is often hard to pinpoint the exact cause of epilepsy in a particular individual, but some things that can make a person more likely to develop epilepsy are:
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A brain injury caused by a car crash or bike accident
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An infection or illness that affected the developing brain of a fetus during pregnancy
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Lack of oxygen to an infant’s brain during childbirth
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Meningitis, or any type of infection that affects the brain
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Brain tumors or strokes
- Poisoning such as lead or alcohol poisoning
Epilepsy is not contagious and it is not passed down through families in the same way your blue eyes or brown hair are. However, someone who has a close relative with epilepsy may have a slightly higher risk for it than someone who has no family history of seizures.
Contact our office today for more information on epilepsy and to learn about your options.
We have all experienced a headache at one point in our life—some more than others. But what is a headache? A headache is commonly defined as pain that begins in your head or upper neck. The pain originates fro the tissues and structures that surround the brain because the brain itself has no nerves that give rise to the sensation of pain. The pain of a headache may be described as a dull ache, sharp, throbbing, constant, mild or intense. A headache may also appear gradually or suddenly and may last as little as less than an hour or even for several days.What Causes a Headache?
A primary headache, which means it isn’t the symptoms of an underlying disease, is caused by problems with or overuse of pain-sensitive structures in your head. Have you ever experienced a headache after a stressful situation such as filing your taxes? When this occurs, chemical activity in your brain, the nerves or blood vessels of your head outside your skill, or muscles of your head and neck may play a role. Some people may also carry genes that make them more prone to developing headaches.
Most of the time, primary headaches can be triggered by lifestyle factors, such as:
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Alcohol
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Certain foods
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Changes in sleep
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Poor posture
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Skipped meals
- Stress
Another form of headaches are considered secondary, which means they are a symptom of a disease that can activate the pain-sensitive nerves of the head. Any number of conditions can cause secondary headaches including:
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Acute sinusitis
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Blood clot
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Brain tumor
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Carbon monoxide poisoning
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Brain aneurysm
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Concussion
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Dehydration
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Hangovers
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Glaucoma
- Panic attacks
Regardless of the cause, it is important to seek care to find relief from the pain of your headaches. We can work with you to determine if an underlying issue causes your headache, or if it is due to your lifestyle. Remember, you don’t have to put up with pain caused by headaches, which is why it is important to seek care to find the cause.