eHealth Connection | Cooper University Hospital

Few experiences are as universal as headache pain. For most of us, it involves a few hours or a day of pain followed by relief. However, for some sufferers, headaches are frequent enough, and debilitating enough, to rob them of function and quality of life.

For years, treatment for chronic, severe headaches was limited to medications that seldom provided long-term relief. Recent scientific studies have increasingly pointed to a shift toward a multi-disciplinary approach for effective headache management. To meet both the growing demand for care, and the increase in therapeutic options, the Cooper Neurological Institute has opened a dedicated Headache Program under the direction of Cooper neurologist Mitra Assadi-Khansari, MD.

“An accurate diagnosis and treatment plan can only be established through a detailed clinical assessment that includes patient reports of symptoms, not simply laboratory testing,” says Dr. Assadi.

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As we age, neurological complications become more common. In many people, the development of neurological complications can lead to loss of mobility and, to some extent, loss of independence.

One symptom most common in neurological disorders is tremor. Tremor is the involuntary, somewhat rhythmic to-and-fro movement of one or more parts of the body. Most tremors occur in the hands, but they also occur in the arms, head, face, vocal cords, trunk and legs. Characteristics can include a shaky voice, difficulty writing or drawing, or problems holding and controlling utensils, such as a fork.

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Brain surgery without a knife, gamma rays guided by robotic controls and 3D targeting that’s as precise as a pinpoint. This may sound like science fiction, but it’s the new reality at Cooper University Hospital’s Neurological Institute, where the Leksell Gamma Knife® Perfexion™ is currently being installed. Read the full story

An initial scare, a revelation and, ultimately, a surgery that changes life for the better.

Andrea Beicht remembers vividly the bizarre, out-of-the-blue event that signaled something was wrong. It actually sounds like a special-effects scene from a movie.

“It was five years ago, and I was working at the police department, filing papers and sitting at my desk as usual,” says Andrea, who lives in Bayonne, New Jersey. “There was an officer standing in the middle of the room, telling a group of us a funny story about his day on traffic duty. My colleagues and I were enjoying the moment and laughing.” Read the full story

Stroke is a type of cardiovascular disease and occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to your brain gets blocked or bursts. When that happens the affected part of your brain doesn’t get the blood it needs. In minutes, it starts to die. Read the full story