This growth is a benign tumor that forms on the vestibulocochlear nerve. This nerve leads from the inner ear to the brain. Acoustic neuromas usually grow slowly and do not spread. However, they can eventually grow so large that they press against surrounding structures, including the brain and other nerves.
This is a tumor that begins in a brain cell called an "astrocyte." These cells help give your brain its structure. An astrocytoma can form in your brain, in your brain stem or in your spinal cord. There are many types of astrocytomas. They can be cancerous or noncancerous. They can grow slowly or quickly. A doctor can figure out the specific type you have.
This surgery is used to remove a tumor from the frontal lobe of the brain. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia and requires a hospital stay.
This is a pocket of pus in your brain. Tissue has grown around it, walling it off from the rest of your body. The mass is filled with white blood cells, dead tissue and germs. It can grow and press harmfully against your brain, causing a medical emergency.
This condition is a bulge that forms in the wall of a weakened artery in the brain. This bulge can leak or rupture, causing a stroke. An aneurysm can be life-threatening.
This is a mass of enlarged blood vessels in your brain or spinal cord. Pockets in the mass slow down or even trap blood. This can lead to blood clots, or to a leaking of blood we call a "hemorrhage."
This is a structural problem with the back of the brain. It involves the cerebellum. That's the part of your brain that controls balance. Normally, the cerebellum sits in a space at the base of the skull. It's just above the opening to the spinal canal, called the "foramen magnum." With Chiari malformation, the cerebellum slips down through this opening.
This condition is a buildup of clotted blood between the brain's outer layer and the membrane that covers the brain (called the dura). It usually occurs in the elderly, and can be caused by even a minor bump to the head.
This common brain injury is caused by an impact to the head or upper body. A concussion interferes with brain function. In most cases the effects are mild and temporary, and the concussion does not cause permanent injury. But a concussion is a serious injury that can cause lasting brain damage or death if not treated properly.
This is a problem with the electrical activity of your brain's nerve cells. These cells are called "neurons." With epilepsy, they sometimes send out disorganized signals. When this happens, you can suddenly lose control of your body for a brief time. There may be a change in how you act or feel. We call this a "seizure."
This condition is caused by an increased amount of cerebrospinal fluid (commonly called CSF) in the brain's ventricles. The ventricles are a system of large, fluid-filled open spaces inside the brain. Too much CSF in the ventricles can elevate pressure in the skull. It can damage delicate brain tissue.
If you've been diagnosed with epilepsy, you may be facing some unexpected challenges. But epilepsy doesn't have to take over your life. Use these simple strategies to help control it.
This is a swelling of thin membranes called the "meninges." These three layers of tissue cover and protect your brain and your spinal cord. Meningitis is a serious condition. It can be life threatening.
This condition, which usually occurs in adults 55 and older, is an excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles of the brain. The ventricles are a system of large, fluid-filled open spaces inside the brain. Too much CSF in the ventricles can distort the brain's shape. It can make the brain susceptible to injury.
Your pituitary gland is found just under your brain. This pea-sized gland makes hormones that affect many of your body's functions. A pituitary tumor can cause it to release too much or too little of these hormones. This can cause serious problems.
This condition, sometimes called a false brain tumor, is a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid pressure in the skull. It most commonly affects obese women ages 20 to 50. The reason it develops is unknown.
This is a buildup of clotted blood beneath the dura. That's a membrane that covers your brain. The blood can press harmfully against your brain.
This is a sudden burst of electrical activity in your brain. It overwhelms parts of your brain, usually for no more than a few minutes. Most seizures don't cause lasting harm.
This type of seizure begins in one of the temporal lobes of the brain. It happens because of abnormal electrical activity. Temporal lobe seizures can severely impact your daily life.
This is an injury that damages your brain. It results in brain dysfunction. It can severely impact your life.
This chronic condition is caused by a misfiring of the trigeminal nerve. An attack causes brief episodes of extreme, shooting pain.
This neurological problem creates cyclical patterns, called "clusters," of intense headaches. You may have these headaches regularly over a period of weeks or months. They may stop for months or years, and then return again.
A migraine is an intense, throbbing headache that may be accompanied by nausea or dizziness. A migraine can last from hours to days.
If you have migraines, you know how disrupting they can be. Migraine pain can stop you in your tracks. It interferes with things like school and work, and throws your life into turmoil. But there are some things you can do to get relief.
If you have the frequent, severe headache condition known as "chronic migraine," your doctor may want you to try injections of BOTOX® in your head and neck. The injections can help stop migraines before they start.
This is a common type of headache that can be painful and frustrating for many people. It tends to start in the back of the head and then move forward to surround your head.
This is a chronic headache. It can develop after a whiplash injury (a violent back-and-forth jerking of the neck).
This condition is a distinct type of headache caused by irritation or injury of the occipital nerves. These nerves travel from the base of the skull through the scalp. This condition can result in severe pain and muscle spasms.
This procedure creates one or more holes in the skull to release excess fluid pressure in the brain caused by a chronic subdural hematoma (blood clot on the brain). It can be performed under local anesthesia.
This minimally-invasive procedure is used to treat an aneurysm (a bulge in the wall of an artery) inside the skull. Aneurysms can often become so large that they rupture or leak. In this procedure, a small, soft metal coil is placed inside the aneurysm to help block the flow of blood and prevent rupture.
This surgery is used to treat Chiari malformation, an abnormality that results in a part of the brain extending into the upper spinal canal. During the procedure, small sections of bone are removed from the rear of the skull and spine to create more space for the errant brain tissue.
This reconstructive surgical procedure is performed to correct congenital problems of the skull, or to repair the skull after a traumatic injury or medical procedure. During the procedure, a custom plate made from porous plastic or titanium is fitted over the defect in the skull, restoring the skull to its normal shape.
This procedure, performed under general anesthesia, creates an opening through the skull for removal of a blood clot between the skull and the dura (the membrane that surrounds the brain). Epidural hematomas commonly result from trauma to the head, and can place harmful pressure on the brain.
This procedure, performed under general anesthesia, creates an opening through the skull for removal of a blood clot inside the brain. Intracerebral hematomas can result from trauma to the head. They can also occur spontaneously in patients with abnormally high blood pressure, or a blood vessel abnormality. Intracerebral hematomas can place harmful pressure on the brain.
This procedure, performed under general anesthesia, creates an opening through the skull for removal of a meningioma. This type of tumor is found in the dura - the fibrous membrane between the brain and skull. The surgery usually requires several hours to complete, depending on the location and size of the meningioma.
This procedure, performed under general anesthesia, creates an opening through the skull for removal of a blood clot on the surface of the brain. Subdural hematomas commonly result from trauma to the head, and can place harmful pressure on the brain.
This procedure, performed under general anesthesia, creates an opening through the skull for brain tumor removal. The surgery usually requires between two to five hours to complete. The length of surgery depends on the type and size of the tumor.
This is a treatment for certain problems in your brain. It involves placing electrodes into your brain to control abnormal brain signals. It can help manage a wide range of conditions such as Parkinson's disease, epilepsy and Tourette syndrome.
This is a treatment for certain problems in your brain. It involves placing electrodes into your brain to control abnormal brain signals. DBS can help manage a wide range of conditions such as Parkinson's disease, epilepsy and Tourette syndrome.
During this procedure, the surgeon places a small dome-shaped reservoir beneath the scalp and connects it to a fluid-filled cavity in the brain. Once in position, the ommaya reservoir can be used to administer medications or to withdraw fluid.
In this procedure, performed under general anesthesia, the surgeon opens the skull to remove an abnormal tangle of enlarged blood vessels called a cerebral arteriovenous malformation (or AVM). This procedure is generally used for small AVMs that are located on or near the surface of the brain.
This is a way for a surgeon to take a sample of abnormal tissue from inside your brain. It's done with a needle that's carefully guided into your brain.
This nonsurgical procedure is used to treat an arteriovenous malformation (also called an AVM) located deep inside the brain. During this procedure, beams of radiation are precisely focused at the AVM, destroying the abnormal vessels while leaving surrounding tissue unharmed. The procedure may take several hours.
This surgery treats one or more tumors on or near your pituitary gland. That's a small organ at the base of your brain. Your surgeon will reach the pituitary gland through your nostrils.
During this surgical procedure, a small drainage tube is implanted to relieve the pressure of hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is a condition that develops when excess cerebrospinal fluid builds up within the ventricles of the brain.
