A stroke, like a heart attack, is one of the most dreaded conditions. While there are other equally serious and life-threatening conditions, a stroke and heart attack are relatively common in the modern world. It is a major concern for people at risk but it can even strike a person who would otherwise seem like the most unlikely person to have a stroke or heart attack. And the most scary part is that there is no knowing exactly when it will strike. In an instant, life can change forever after having a stroke and sometimes even end altogether.

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Definition

A meningioma is an abnormal growth (tumor) that arises from the protective lining around the brain and spinal cord, the meninges. These tumors can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous) with some being atypical where it is neither cancerous nor non-cancerous. The vast majority of meningiomas are benign. A meningioma means that the tumor arises from the cells that make up the meninges. It is possible for some cancers to spread to the meninges (metastasis) and result in a tumor at the site but this is not a meningioma. Although most meningiomas are benign, it still causes significant complications as it compresses the nerve tissue in the brain or spinal cord.

continue reading Meningioma (Tumor of the Meninges)

What is cubital tunnel syndrome?

Cubital tunnel syndrome is a condition where one of the main nerves of the arm, the ulnar nerve, becomes compressed or irritated at the point of the elbow. The ulnar nerve is a long nerve that can be damaged or diseased in any number of ways, broadly referred to as ulnar neuropathy, but cubital tunnel syndrome is a problem of the ulnar nerve at a specific site – at the elbow. It is often confused with a similar condition of the arm known as carpal tunnel syndrome which affects the median nerve as the wrist joint. In carpal tunnel syndrome, there is numbness and tingling of the little finger and a portion of the ring finger along with slight weakness of the grip.

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What is neurogenic pulmonary edema?

Neurogenic pulmonary edema is a condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs after an injury to the brain, spinal cord and surrounding structures of the central nervous system. It can lead to serious and life threatening complications, and may even increase the risk of pulmonary infections. Pulmonary edema may occur for various reasons and neurogenic pulmonary edema is a specific type diagnosed when there is no other identifiable cause of fluid accumulation in the lungs.

continue reading Neurogenic Pulmonary Edema (Fluid Filled Lungs after Brain Injury)

What is piriformis syndrome?

Piriformis syndrome is a rare condition characterized by pain, instability, tingling and numbness in the lower back, buttocks, lower thighs and the calves. It arises due to the irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve by the piriformis muscle during running or sitting. The longest and widest nerve of the body, the sciatic nerve is prone to a number of conditions that can lead to pain, numbness and tingling along its path.

Piriformis syndrome is just one of these conditions that affects the sciatic nerve along its pat to the lower leg. The symptoms may be experienced along the entire course of the the sciatic nerve or in specific areas supplied by this nerve like the skin of the leg, the muscles of the thigh, leg and foot on the back side.

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