Rutgers University wrestling coach Jordan Pagano, 27, was recently demonstrating simple wrestling moves with a student-athlete, something he does regularly. When he placed his hands on the mat to change positions, the unexpected happened: he ruptured a disc in his neck. The herniated disc pushed on Jordan’s spinal cord, [...]
Anyone who lives with or cares for someone with Parkinson’s disease or essential tremor knows there are good days and not-so-good days. But what if you could directly stimulate or calm the area of the brain causing the tremor? Essential tremor is a neurological disorder that causes involuntary and [...]
Laura Mulroy is a hands-on architect, often rolling up her sleeves to help complete home renovation projects for her clients. When the active Freehold resident’s chronic neck pain began to impact her livelihood, Laura sought a long-term solution. Laura, 51, had neck pain, migraines, and tension headaches for decades. [...]
Andrew Ferrara was a three-sport high school athlete when he suffered a football injury that permanently sidelined his athletic career. He herniated two discs in his back as a teen. At the time, the surgery to repair it was risky. So instead, he wore a brace to stabilize his [...]
Ever wonder why you can’t remember something from a minute ago, but can recall lyrics of a decades-old song? Don’t worry. It’s not your memory failing. “Forgetting why you walked into a room is actually not a memory problem. It’s a distraction problem,” explains CentraState speech-language pathologist and brain [...]
A string of falls and a car accident left Whiting resident Nanette Neves in constant agony. Plagued with numbness and pain in her leg and lower back, she endured eight years of treatments to manage the pain. When she had trouble getting out of bed, she knew it was [...]
While it is often associated with misconceptions, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a specialized treatment that can be very effective in certain people struggling with severe depression and certain other behavioral health conditions not helped by medication or psychotherapy. Moustafa H. Shafey, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist on staff at CentraState, [...]
When Freehold resident John Russo fell after a progressive decline in his ability to walk, he figured he’d have to endure another joint replacement surgery. But he was shocked to learn that a serious spinal condition was causing his pain—and partial paralysis. John, 54, was in the Navy during [...]
Forgot where you parked your car or your favorite niece’s birthday? It’s easy to chalk it up to age and say there’s nothing you can do about it. But you can take steps to improve your memory. “If your brain has changed with age, you have to change the [...]
Brian Giacchi has experienced muscle spasms off and on since age 9. When the condition ramped up in his 20s, he sought medical advice. Unfortunately, several years of doctors’ visits, testing, and frustration failed to solve the mystery. Then finally, at age 34, he got an answer: he had [...]
