BRAIN TUMORS
Arachnoid cysts are cysts, not tumors. They are fluid-filled sacs that develop between the brain/spinal cord and a membrane called the arachnoid membrane, one of three membranes that cover the brain a...
Astrocytoma tumors are a form of glioma with star-shaped cells. They often grow very slowly or not at all for long periods of time. Therefore, close observation rather than treatment is possible in so...
Glioblastoma multiforme is the highest grade glioma (grade 4) tumor and is the most malignant form of astrocytomas. These tumors originate in the brain.
Symptoms
General symptoms of this type ...
Meningiomas are benign tumors that develop in the thin membranes, or meninges, that cover the brain and spinal cord. Meningiomas usually grow slowly and do not invade surrounding normal tissue. They r...
Metastatic tumors develop when cancer cells spread from another area of cancer by breaking away from the primary tumor and traveling through the body by way of the blood, lymphatic vessels or membrano...
An oligodendroglioma tumor is a slow-growing brain tumor that usually occurs in young adults. These tumors are frequently located within the frontal, temporal or parietal lobes and cause seizures in a...
PITUITARY TUMORS
Craniopharyngiomas are congenital brain tumors that usually affect infants and children. The average age of children affected with these tumors is seven to 12 years old. These tumors are often benign ...
The pituitary gland is a small oval gland at the base of the brain. It controls most of our hormones. These control thyroid activity, the monthly cycle in women, sex drive, growth in children, adrenal...
SPINAL DISORDERS
The spine is made up of bones and discs. The discs are like gelatin. As we get older, the discs start to dry out and no longer cushion the bones.
Without the cushioning of the discs, the nerve root...
Nearly 40 million Americans have arthritis, which causes joints to become inflamed or swollen. There are more than 100 types of arthritis that affect the joints and connective tissues (tendons and lig...
Nearly everyone shows some signs of wear and tear on the spinal discs as they age. Not everyone, however, will have symptoms described as degenerative disc disease. Not actually a disease, degenerativ...
The spinal column is made up of bones called vertebrae that are stacked on top of each other to protect the nerves of the spinal cord. In between the stacked vertebrae are small rubbery discs that pro...
When a nerve in the spinal cord is pinched causing extreme pain, the condition is called myelopathy.
Symptoms
Signs that the long nerve tracts inside the spinal cord are affected include:
Tight...
The sciatic nerve begins in the lower back, extends through the buttocks and goes down the length of the leg. It is the longest nerve in the body. The pain that occurs when this nerve becomes inflamed...
The spine is made up of bones, known as vertebrae, and gelatinlike discs. The vertebrae encircle and protect the spinal cord, and the discs act as shock absorbers between the vertebrae. Scoliosis is a...
When a bone in the spine collapses, it is called a vertebral (spinal) compression fracture. These fractures happen most commonly in the thoracic spine (the middle portion of the spine), particularly i...
The spine is made up of 33 bones. These and the discs between them provide a passage for the spinal cord and nerves. The spinal cord itself connects the nerves of the body to the brain.
Spinal sten...
