Many of us are familiar with the excitement and satisfaction of a good meal. It is easy to infer that what we eat stimulates the brain and impacts our mood and mental health. Research shows that the food we consume also has a biological impact on the structural organ of the brain.

Have you fallen or had persistent symptoms such as headaches, vision changes, and seizures prompting you to the emergency department? You then had imaging performed, such as an MRI or CT scan of your head, and were told you have a meningioma? The doctor explains that a meningioma is a type of tumor, and the word tumor overpowers every other thought instantly, and questions start to arise.

Normal pressure hydrocephalus is a common diagnosis managed by neurosurgeons. It is a disease that primarily affects patients in their 60s and 70s. This disorder is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. In fact, the Hydrocephalus Association estimates less than 20 percent of people with the disease are properly diagnosed.

Most spine problems are caused by wear and tear, or degenerative changes, to the spine. Unfortunately, we have not discovered the fountain of youth, and age-related changes are inevitable. However, there are plenty of simple ways to improve your spine health. Here is a list of five things you can do to keep your spine happy and healthy.

One of the most common diagnoses we manage in our neurosurgical practice is spinal stenosis. It affects a wide age range of both men and women. But what does it mean? To understand this diagnosis, first a quick anatomy lesson.

As any of us who grew up playing sports can attest, there is a lot you can accomplish when you work as a team. Healthcare is no different, and the importance of teamwork in delivering medical care positively affects patient’s outcomes. In a surgical subspecialty, the team dynamic is especially evident.

Low back pain is one of the most frequent reasons patients come to see us in the office. All of us will complain of low back pain at some point in our lives. Whether it is a temporary back strain after lifting children or moving furniture, or a chronic issue that interrupts sleep and can make sitting or walking unbearable. These chronic issues are often what bring patients to see us in the office.

It is always a great time to improve your spine health. With the New Year’s mentality, why not make it your resolution this year? To help you on your spine health journey, here are a few exercises to help loosen and strengthen your cervical spine. These are all easy exercises you can do at home with no equipment and all together will only take a few minutes of your time. Try to do them daily for the greatest benefit.

When talking to patients, I frequently get asked, “what is a PA” or “are you studying to become a surgeon?”. To answer simply, PAs are NOT training to become surgeons or replace them. As defined by the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA), “PAs have licensed clinicians who practice medicine in every specialty and setting.” PAs can diagnose and treat patients, order tests, and prescribe medications. We collaborate with physicians to expand access to care and provide exceptional patient-centred, team-based treatment.

We often have patients who show up for their initial consultation with us, saying, “my doctor told me I need to see a neurosurgeon…but I do NOT want surgery!”

Although surgery is our specialty, a neurosurgeon’s goal should not be to cut and run (pardon the poor humor) but rather to best treat the whole patient, taking into account symptoms and imaging results and a patient’s history and outcome goals.

SI joint pain often presents as sharp, stabbing pain in the pelvis or hips that can radiate up to the low back or down into your thighs. Inflammation of the SI joints is known as sacroiliac dysfunction or sacroiliitis. One or both of your SI joints can be affected.

Dr. Mulholland has been serving the Pasadena community since August 2019. After finishing medical school at UCLA, Dr. Mulholland completed her neurological residency at the world’s largest neurological disease treatment and research institution, the prestigious Barrow Neurological Institute. During this tenure, she gained further knowledge and experience in the full spectrum of neurological surgery, ranging from minimally invasive spine to complex skull base cases. She completed a minimally invasive spine fellowship with Dr. Juan S. Uribe. She moved back to Southern California with her husband and two daughters to be close to her family and the vibrant community she grew up in.