As a former high school and college athlete and long-time advocate and professional diagnosing and treating individuals with varying degrees of traumatic brain injury (e.g., post-concussion), the time is right to further educate the public with regard to sports concussion. While sports concussion has been a chronic problem ranging from youth to professional sports, only recently has it gained such notoriety in the public media as well as through formal legislation. Continue reading “Use Your Head When Making Decisions About Sports Concussion!”
Category: Blog
Next Step in Evaluating Dementia
Continuing from my last Blog Brief of July 6, 2021, I pointed out some differences between normal daily thinking mistakes vs. dementia. Now the question-what tests can determine if a person is beginning to show cognitive signs of dementia? Our medical colleagues typically evaluate blood panels, radiological procedures (EEG, MRI, CT, etc.), and behavioral signs. Neuropsychologists evaluate the functional, cognitive/ thinking abilities of the patient.
Helping Children after COVID-19
In March 2020, US citizens were forced into a period of lockdown and isolation and–as a result–were forced to quickly redefine their “norm” and began to make sense of their new, drastically different lifestyles. While the pandemic has left a profound effect on all populations, it is critical that we work to keep children specifically on a path towards growth and success. Below are some general positive and negative impacts that COVID-19 has had on children, and moreover, how we can guide them and help them adjust.
Continue reading “Helping Children after COVID-19”
Intersections between Autoimmune Conditions and Mental Health
Autoimmune conditions currently affect over 23 million Americans. The most familiar conditions that receive attention, such as rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, lupus, Lyme disease, and gastrointestinal/gut disorders (inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s), are usually marked by symptoms of pain or dysfunction in multiple regions of the body. What is often overlooked, however, is the finding that a large percentage of individuals with autoimmune conditions also experience elevated levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and brain fog. Continue reading “Intersections between Autoimmune Conditions and Mental Health”
Psychological Well-Being & Immune Health: Lessons from COVID
As we forward from the COVID-19 pandemic, there is increasing attention on the mental health ramifications of this public health crisis. There are legitimate reasons for this concern; depression rates tripled in the past year. Suicidal thinking and substance misuse increased 11% and 13% respectively since 2019. Based on prior findings that anxiety and posttraumatic stress symptoms skyrocketed after the SARS pandemic in 2002, we should expect that there will be emotional ripple effects from this pandemic for quite some time.
Continue reading “Psychological Well-Being & Immune Health: Lessons from COVID”
7 Questions to Ask When a Family Member is Diagnosed with Dementia
A dementia diagnosis for a family member can be very unsettling and worrisome. As grandparents and boomers continue to age, the diagnoses of dementias are unfortunately expected to increase. Here are some questions you might keep in mind when speaking to a physician or provider here at NRS|LS:
Welcome to Blog Briefs
We want to welcome our current and future patients to a new section of our website: Blog Briefs. We are pleased to offer blogs on a variety of topics presented by our staff. The staff members at NRS|Lifespan have a wide range of specialties allowing for a diverse practice and a very intriguing blog. We believe that our posts, utilizing cutting edge research, will be of importance and interest to our community. Please feel free to call us at 732-988-3441 for a consultation.