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About the Brain and Nervous System See All

Anatomy of the Brain in About the Brain and Nervous System

The brain is an important organ that controls thought, memory, emotion, touch, motor skills, vision, respiration, and every process that regulates your body. ...more

Understanding Skull Base Tumors in About the Brain and Nervous System

The skull base offers support from the bottom. Think of it as the floor of the skull, where the brain sits. Tumors can form at the base of the skull. ...more

Anatomy of the Spinal Cord in About the Brain and Nervous System

Made up of bundles of nerves, the spinal cord carries signals from your body to your brain, and vice versa. ...more

Neurological Exam in About the Brain and Nervous System

A neurological exam may be performed with instruments, such as lights and reflex hammers, and usually does not cause any pain. ...more

Overview of Nervous System Disorders in About the Brain and Nervous System

Disorders of the nervous system include stroke, infections, such as meningitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and functional disorders, such as headache and epilepsy. ...more

Neurology in About the Brain and Nervous System

Neurology is the branch of medicine that is concerned with the study and treatment of disorders of the nervous system. ...more

Neurosurgery (Neurological Surgery) in About the Brain and Nervous System

Neurological surgery is used to treat disorders of the brain, spine, and nerves. The healthcare provider who specializes in neurological surgery is called a neurosurgeon or neurological surgeon. ...more

Endovascular Neurosurgery and Interventional Neuroradiology in About the Brain and Nervous System

Endovascular neurosurgery is a subspecialty of neurosurgery. It uses catheters and radiology to diagnose and treat various conditions and diseases of the central nervous system. ...more

Neurological Tests and Procedures See AllDetailed Tests and Procedures See All

Diagnostic Tests for Neurological Disorders in Neurological Tests and Procedures

Evaluating and diagnosing damage to the nervous system is complicated and complex. Many of the same symptoms occur in different combinations among the different disorders. ...more

Neurological Conditions and Diseases See AllBack and Neck Pain See AllBrain and Spinal Cord Injuries See AllBrain and Spinal Tumors See AllEpilepsy and Seizures See AllMultiple Sclerosis See AllNeurological Infections See AllNeuromuscular Diseases See AllOther Neurological Conditions See AllParkinson's and Movement Disorders See AllPeripheral Nerve Conditions See All

Low Back Pain in Back Pain, Care of the Back

Everyone has experienced low back pain at one time or another. Most people can recover from low back pain with home treatment, such as changes in activity, weight loss, quitting smoking, and other steps. Sometimes medicine or surgery is needed. ...more

Pinched Nerve in Back Pain

Radiculopathy, commonly called pinched nerve, often occurs in the low back....more

Corticosteroid Shots in Care of the Back

Corticosteroid injections can treat many skeletal, muscular, and spinal conditions. Some of these injections can be done by your healthcare provider during a routine clinic visit. Others need a referral to a pain specialist. ...more

Neck Pain in Neck Pain

Your neck is at risk for injury because of its location and range of motion. Neck pain can be caused by injury, age, or inflammatory disorders. ...more

Cervical Spondylosis in Neck Pain

Cervical spondylosis is a type of arthritis that affects your neck. This condition becomes more common with age, and most people who are older than 60 have it. ...more

Head Injury in Brain Injuries

A head injury is a broad term that describes many injuries that occur to the scalp, skull, brain, and underlying tissue and blood vessels in the head. Head injuries are also commonly referred to as brain injury, or traumatic brain injury, depending on the extent of the head trauma. ...more

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in Brain Injuries

Acquired brain injury hapens when a sudden, external, physical assault damages the brain. It is one of the most common causes of disability and death in adults. ...more

Acute Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) in Spine Injuries

Car accidents, falls, and other injuries are a common cause of acute spinal cord injury....more

Spinal Cord Compression in Spine Injuries

Spinal cord compression can occur anywhere along your spine. Symptoms include numbness, pain, and weakness. ...more

Anatomy of the Brain in About Brain Tumors

The brain is an important organ that controls thought, memory, emotion, touch, motor skills, vision, respiration, and every process that regulates your body. ...more

Brain Tumor: Risk Factors in About Brain Tumors

Healthcare providers do not know exactly what causes a brain tumor. But certain factors may raise your risk. ...more

Brain Tumors: Chemotherapy in Deciding on Treatment

Chemotherapy uses medicines to kill cancer cells. The medicines attack and kill cells that divide rapidly. Some of these rapidly dividing cells are cancer, but others are normal cells in the body. ...more

Brain Tumors: Radiation Therapy in Deciding on Treatment

There are 2 main types of radiation therapy. Healthcare providers can give it from a machine outside the body or from small radioactive pellets placed inside or near the tumor. ...more

Spinal Cord Tumor Overview in About Spinal Tumors

A tumor forms when an abnormal cell grows to form a mass of abnormal cells. Spinal cord tumors are tumors that form on the spinal cord or in the area around it. ...more

Epilepsy and Seizures in Epilepsy and Seizures

Epilepsy is a brain condition that causes a person to have seizures. It's one of the most common disorders of the nervous system. ...more

Status Epilepticus in Epilepsy and Seizures

A seizure that lasts at least 30 minutes is called status epilepticus, or a prolonged seizure. This is a medical emergency that may lead to permanent brain damage or death. Many medical experts become concerned that a seizure is status epilepticus after it lasts 5 to 10 minutes. ...more

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is a disease in which the fatty tissue that surrounds the nerves is destroyed. When this happens, the nerves are unable to conduct electrical impulses to and from the brain. It causes muscle weakness, impaired coordination, and fatigue. ...more

Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis in Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease that interferes with your brain's ability to operate your body. ...more

Bacterial Meningitis in Neurological Infections

Bacterial meningitis is an infection of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. It causes headache, stiff neck, and high fever. ...more

Meningitis in Neurological Infections

Meningitis is inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain. Meningitis can be caused by either a virus or bacteria. Bacterial meningitis may be life-threatening. ...more

Types of Muscular Dystrophy and Neuromuscular Diseases in Neuromuscular Diseases

Muscular dystrophy is a group of inherited diseases that are characterized by weakness and wasting away of muscle tissue, with or without the breakdown of nerve tissue. ...more

Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD) in Children in Neuromuscular Diseases

Muscular dystrophy (MD) is an inherited (genetic) disorder of the muscles. It is called a neuromuscular disease. There are several types. Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) is a rare type. ...more

Acoustic Neuroma in Other Neurological Conditions

Acoustic neuroma is a rare noncancer tumor. It affects hearing and balance when the tumor presses on the nerves in the inner ear. ...more

Bell Palsy in Other Neurological Conditions

Bell's palsy is an unexplained episode of facial muscle weakness or paralysis that begins suddenly and gets worse over 48 hours. It is caused by a damaged facial nerve. ...more

Parkinson Disease in Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson disease is a motor system disorder that causes trembling, stiffness, and trouble moving. ...more

Parkinson Disease and Dementia in Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson disease is a movement disorder that can cause muscles to tighten and become rigid. It can make it hard to walk and engage in daily activities. ...more

Ataxia in Other Movement Disorders

Ataxia means without coordination. People with ataxia lose muscle control in their arms and legs, which may lead to a lack of balance, coordination, and trouble walking. Ataxia may affect the fingers, hands, arms, legs, body, speech, and even eye movements. ...more

Dystonia in Other Movement Disorders

Dystonia is a body movement disorder. It causes your muscles to contract, move involuntarily, or get stuck in an abnormal position. ...more

Brachial Neuritis in Peripheral Nerve Conditions

Brachial neuritis is nerve damage that affects the chest, shoulder, arm, and hand. It causes pain, weakness and lack of muscle control and lack of feeling in the shoulder or arm. ...more

Brachial Plexus Injuries in Peripheral Nerve Conditions

The brachial plexus can be injured in many different ways--from pressure, stress, or being stretched too far. The nerves may also be damaged by cancer or radiation treatment. Sometimes, brachial plexus injuries happen to babies during childbirth. ...more

Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders See AllOther Dementias See All

Alzheimer Disease in Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders

Alzheimer disease is a disease that affects the brain and nervous system. It is a type of dementia that happens when nerve cells in the brain die. ...more

Early-Onset Alzheimer Disease in Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders

Alzheimer disease most commonly affects older adults. But it can also affect people in their 30s or 40s. When Alzheimer disease occurs in someone younger than age 65, it is known as early-onset (or younger-onset) Alzheimer disease. ...more

Stages of Alzheimer Disease in Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders

Alzheimer disease is a type of brain disorder. It causes memory loss, confusion, and changes in personality. It is a type of dementia. ...more

Caring for Someone with Alzheimer Disease in Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders

Alzheimer disease is a progressive condition, which means that it keeps getting worse. Eventually, people with Alzheimer disease need help with daily activities because they lose the ability to dress, bathe, and feed themselves. ...more

Helping Someone with Memory Loss in Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders

In older people, it's easy to mistake memory problems for the everyday forgetfulness that some people have as they grow older. ...more

Headaches See AllAbout Headaches See AllCluster and Tension Headaches See AllMigraines See All

Headache in About Headaches

Nearly everyone has suffered from a headache. This article discusses several types of headache, how they are diagnosed and treated. ...more

Increased Intracranial Pressure (ICP) in About Headaches

A brain injury or some other health problem can cause growing pressure inside your skull. This dangerous condition is called increased intracranial pressure (ICP). It can lead to a headache. It can also further injure your brain or spinal cord. ...more

Cluster Headaches in Cluster and Tension Headaches

Cluster headaches are rare and cause severe pain that tends to recur in the same way each time. Cluster headaches occur in groups, or clusters, and each attack lasts about 1 to 3 hours on average. ...more

The Cluster Headache: Just Like Clockwork in Cluster and Tension Headaches

Cluster headaches -- called cluster because of their pattern of striking in groups or clusters -- hit at the same time of day for a period of weeks or months, then vanish as suddenly and as mysteriously as they appeared. ...more

Migraine Headaches in Migraines

This often severe, throbbing type of headache is different from other types of headaches in that symptoms other than pain occur with the headache. Nausea and vomiting, lightheadedness, sensitivity to light (photophobia), and other visual disturbances are common migraine symptoms. ...more

How a Migraine Happens in Migraines

A look at what we know about how migraine pain starts....more

Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases See AllStroke Overview See AllSigns and Symptoms of Stroke See AllStroke Treatment and Recovery See AllStroke Prevention See AllOther Cerebrovascular Diseases See All

Types of Stroke in Stroke Overview

Strokes are classified as either ischemic or hemorrhagic. Ischemic strokes are caused by the blockage of an artery. Hemorrhagic strokes are caused by bleeding in the brain. ...more

Stroke in Stroke Overview, Signs and Symptoms of Stroke, Stroke Treatment and Recovery

A stroke, or brain attack, happens when blood flow to your brain is stopped. It is an emergency situation. ...more

Effects of Stroke in Stroke Treatment and Recovery

When an area of the brain is damaged, which typically occurs with a stroke, an impairment may result. An impairment is the loss of normal function of part of the body. Sometimes, an impairment may result in a disability, or inability to perform an activity in a normal way. ...more

Tests to Diagnose a Stroke in Stroke Treatment and Recovery

Tests that may be used to help diagnose a stroke include a CT scan or MRI, and an electroencephalogram. ...more

Arteriovenous Malformations in Other Cerebrovascular Diseases

Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) happen when a group of blood vessels in your body forms incorrectly. Here's what you need to know. ...more

Carotid Artery Disease in Other Cerebrovascular Diseases

Carotid artery disease causes a narrowing of the major blood vessels that supply the brain. It is caused by atherosclerosis and can lead to a stroke. ...more

Understanding Rehabilitation See AllRehabilitation Team See AllFamily and Community See All

Neurological Rehabilitation in Understanding Rehabilitation

Neurological rehabilitation (rehab) helps people with diseases, injury, or disorders of the nervous system. It can often increase function, ease symptoms, and improve a person's well-being. ...more

Overview of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMandR) in Understanding Rehabilitation

PMandR is a medical specialty that works to restore function for a person who has been disabled due to a disease, disorder, or injury. ...more

Children & Neurological Conditions See AllBrain and Nervous System Overview See AllBrain Tumors See AllCongenital and Hereditary Conditions See All Other Neurological Conditions See All

Anatomy of a Child's Brain in Brain and Nervous System Overview

The brain can be divided into 3 main parts: the cerebrum, the brainstem, and the cerebellum....more

Neurological Exam for Children in Brain and Nervous System Overview

Is it time for your baby to have a full physical exam? Your pediatrician might want to conduct a neurological exam. Don't worry, this series of tests designed to evaluate your child's nervous system is painless. Here's what it entails. ...more

Brain Tumors in Children in Brain Tumors

A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue in the brain. The brain is part of the central nervous system (CNS). The CNS also includes the spinal cord. ...more

Anencephaly in Children in Congenital and Hereditary Conditions

Anencephaly is a birth defect that affects the brain and skull bones. With this condition, the brain isn't fully formed. It often lacks part or all of the cerebrum. ...more

Cephalic Disorders in Congenital and Hereditary Conditions

Cephalic disorders affect the central nervous system as it develops. They may also affect the brain and the growth of the skull. ...more

Kids' Headaches: The Diagnosis Is Difficult in Headaches

Most headaches in kids are caused by tension, not disease. Your pediatrician can determine what kind of headache your child has. ...more

Headaches in Children in Headaches

A headache is pain or discomfort in one or more areas of the head or face. Headaches can happen once in a while. Or they may happen often. ...more

Acute Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) in Children in Injuries

Acute spinal cord injury (SCI) is when the spinal cord is damaged from an accident or other situation. An SCI may be a bruise (contusion), a partial tear, or a complete tear (transection) in the spinal cord. ...more

Head Injury in Children in Injuries

A head injury can be as mild as a bump, bruise (contusion), or cut on the head. Or it can be a concussion, a deep cut or open wound, broken skull bones, internal bleeding, or damage to the brain. Head injuries are one of the most common causes of disability and death in children. ...more

Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD) in Children in Neuromuscular Diseases

Muscular dystrophy (MD) is an inherited (genetic) disorder of the muscles. It is called a neuromuscular disease. There are several types. Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) is a rare type. ...more

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in Children in Neuromuscular Diseases

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a rare genetic condition that weakens your child's muscles. It appears in young boys, usually between ages 2 and 5. ...more

Absence Seizures in Other Neurological Conditions

Absence seizures are a type of epilepsy that most often occur in children. Read on for details about this condition. ...more

Brain Abscess in Children in Other Neurological Conditions

An abscess is a pocket of infection. In the brain, an abscess may be in one or more areas. This condition may cause problems with how the brain and spinal cord function. It is a serious and life-threatening condition that needs to be treated right away. ...more

Interactive Tools See All

Alzheimer Disease Quiz

Find out more about this degenerative disease of the brain by taking this quiz....more

Back Care Quiz

Back pain is a common complaint, but how serious is it? Take this quiz and see how much you know about back care. ...more

Multimedia See All

Ankylosing Spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of arthritis that primarily affects the ligaments and joints of the spine, especially the lower back. As the disease progresses, it can lead to a stooped posture. In this video, you'll find out how this condition develops and the treatments available....more

Exercises for a Healthy Back

Most people will have back pain at some time in their lives. But you don’t always need the help of a doctor to fix it. Sometimes exercise is all that you need to relieve the pain. Watch and learn exercises to keep your back feeling good....more

Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease Overview

Celebrate Community Health Improvement Efforts at Fort HealthCare

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