Brain, spine, and peripheral nerve conditions

A diagnosis that covers many different things. The path forward depends entirely on the type of tumor, its location, and how it is behaving — not on the word itself.

Tumors that spread to the brain from a cancer elsewhere in the body. Modern multidisciplinary care has changed what is possible — the right plan depends on the primary cancer, the number and size of lesions, and your overall situation.

A tumor of the meninges — the protective lining around the brain. Most are benign and slow-growing; the decision about treatment depends on size, location, and what the tumor is doing.

A tumor of the master hormone gland at the base of the skull. Some make hormones the body does not need; others press on nearby structures, especially the optic nerves.

Brief, electric-shock-like facial pain triggered by light touch, talking, or eating. Often caused by an artery pressing on the trigeminal nerve as it exits the brainstem.

A treatable cause of walking trouble, memory decline, and bladder urgency in older adults — too often mistaken for aging, Parkinson's, or dementia. We test before we operate, and the testing is what drives the decision.

Tumors arising from the brain's supporting cells, from slow-growing to aggressive. Treatment is built on maximal safe surgical removal — with fluorescence guidance and awake mapping — woven into a plan with oncology from day one.

The phrase on nearly every spine MRI report over age 40 — and one of the most misunderstood. It is not really a disease, and what matters is whether it explains your symptoms.

Compression of the spinal cord in the neck. Symptoms — clumsiness, balance trouble, hand weakness — develop gradually and time is not on your side once they appear.

Compression of a nerve root in the neck — most commonly from a herniated disc or bone spur at C6 or C7 — causing radiating arm pain, numbness, or weakness.

A herniated disc in the neck pressing on a nerve root — the "pinched nerve" behind most sudden arm pain. Surgery is not the first step; the decision is made by your exam and your function, not the MRI alone.

Not every disc herniation needs surgery. The decision is rarely just "is there a herniation" — it is whether your symptoms match the imaging and how much function you have lost.

Narrowing of the spinal canal causing leg pain, weakness, or numbness — usually worse with standing or walking, better with sitting or leaning forward.

Sharp, radiating pain down one leg from a compressed nerve root — most often caused by a herniated disc or by narrowing where the nerve exits the spine.

Forward slippage of one vertebra over another — most often L4 on L5 or L5 on S1, causing back pain and sometimes leg symptoms from associated stenosis.

The phrase on nearly every spine MRI report over age 40 — and one of the most misunderstood. It is not really a disease, and what matters is whether it explains your symptoms.

A curve that develops in adulthood as discs and joints wear unevenly — very different from the scoliosis of adolescence, and treated only when it limits your life, not because of a number on an X-ray.

The one true surgical emergency of the lower spine — compression of the nerve bundle controlling bladder, bowel, and the legs. If you suspect it, do not wait for an appointment: go to the emergency department now.

Tumors involving the spinal column or canal — most often spread from a cancer elsewhere. Modern treatment is a coordinated plan across neurosurgery, oncology, and radiation, sized to protect what matters most.

A collapsed vertebra — usually from osteoporosis, sometimes from cancer — causing sudden, position-dependent back pain. Treatable at every stage, and always a prompt to treat the bone, not just the fracture.