Our team includes neurologists, neurosurgeons and other healthcare professionals who specialize in neurological care. We use the most technologically advanced imaging equipment to diagnose and treat neurological disorders and injuries.
Nerve Conduction Study & Electromyography (EMG)
This electrical activity measurement in muscles and nerves, can help establish the diagnosis for the peripheral nervous system diseases. These disorders include muscle tissue diseases such as myopathies and muscular dystrophies, peripheral nerve disorders such as neuropathies and radiculopathies and neuromuscular junction diseases such as Myasthenia Gravis. EMG and nerve conduction studies are often done together to give more complete information.
Botulinum Toxin Injections
Dystonia is an involuntarily contraction of the muscles. Dystonia symptoms may begin in a single region or involve several muscles. The impact of dystonia varies depending on the part of the body affected and the severity of contractions. Here are a few examples of focal dystonias:
- Blepharospasm: Frequent blinking
- Cervical dystonia Painful head twist and turn to one side
- Oromandibular dystonia: which can cause difficulty swallowing.
- Writer’s cramp or musician’s cramp: which causes pain during a single repetitive motion, such as writing or playing an instrument
Mild cases of dystonia may respond to oral medications. However, there has been significant improvement in treatment options for dystonia due to successes with botulinum toxin injections. Botulinum toxin blocks the release of a chemical neuro-transmitter that triggers muscle contraction. The injections will temporarily weaken some muscle fibers, which may reduce or eliminate dystonic contractions. The effect wears off, and injections need to be repeated about every three months. For more disabling cases, deep brain stimulation is now being considered.
Electroencephalography (EEG) and Visual Evoked Potential (VEP)
An electroencephalogram (EEG) measures and records the electrical activity of the brain. EEG is an useful tool to diagnose and classify seizure disorders. It can also help to determine if the patient is a candidate for epilepsy surgery. It is a valuable tool for intra-operative monitoring during brain surgeries.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) for intractable Epilepsy
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) sends regular, mild pulses of electrical energy to the brain via the vagus nerve which will help to reduce the seizure frequency. These pulses are supplied by a small generator which is placed under the skin on the chest wall and a wire runs from it to the vagus nerve in the neck.
Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson’s Disease
Traditionally, physicians treated Parkinson’s with a drug called Levodopa. While effective at first, after four to five years this medication often results in severe uncontrolled movements. For patients with advanced Parkinson’s – for whom Levodopa is no longer effective – deep brain stimulation represents a viable new treatment option.
Deep Brain Stimulation uses one or two pacemaker-like devices called neurostimulators to deliver electric stimulation to precisely targeted areas of the brain. The electrical signals shut off certain brain cells thought to become overactive in Parkinson’s disease. Patients who receive deep brain stimulation undergo two surgical procedures to implant the neurostimulator and two other components inside the body:
- Lead – An insulated wire with four electrodes
- Extension – An insulated wire placed under the scalp that connects to the lead and runs behind the ear, down the neck, and into the chest below the collarbone, where it connects to the neurostimulator. Patients receive a programmer by which they can turn the neurostimulator on or off. Electric stimulation during “on” times reduces shaking and enables patients to gain more control over their body movements.
Resources
Stilling Tremors: Deep Brain Stimulation Causes Transformation
Hours after a surgeon drilled two holes in the top of 82-year old James Culwell's skull, Culwell was eating soup with a steady hand and dreaming of snagging a bass at Flaming Gorge.
Steward Health Care