In The News
Hoag Epilepsy Program Receives Top Designation
The Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute’s epilepsy program at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach has received a Level 4 epilepsy center designation, the highest level from the National Assn. of Epilepsy Centers. The institute has the professional expertise and resources necessary to “provide the most advanced and comprehensive medical evaluation and treatment for patients with complex … Read More
Regular Checkups with a Mental Health Professional can help Promote Healthy Choices
It is an oddity of human nature that we so often fail to react to troubling developments until they reach the level of a crisis. Such was the case with the recent episode involving some local high school students who posted photos online showing themselves doing a Nazi salute in front of plastic cups arranged … Read More
Hoag Hospital Opens New Operating Suites in Newport
Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach has opened two new brain and spine operating room suites. The 820-square-foot facilities have new equipment designed to enhance surgical communications and efficiencies, according to a news release. Hoag is the first California hospital to use CollaboratOR technology, an 84-inch touch-screen system. It enables Hoag surgeons, nurses and surgical assistants … Read More
Hoag Unveils 2 Brain & Spine Operating Room Suites
Hoag installed two advanced brain and spine fully integrated OR suites. The key details to know: 1. The OR suites are 820 square feet and feature the CollaboratOR technology, a multi-point touchscreen system. 2. The ORs will also be outfitted with TrumpfiLED 7 Surgical Lights that feature 3D sensor technology, and Karl Storz StreamConnect Technology … Read More
When a Video Game Obsession Starts to Look Like Addiction
“Turn OFF the computer!” “Oh my God. Done. You are addicted to that game.” “No more Fortnite. You. Are. Obsessed.” I have heard parents say these things to tweens and teens spending too much time gaming. But how strong is the actual pull of gaming and is it really anything more than a power struggle? … Read More
Why Daylight Saving Time Makes You Feel Terrible
And here’s a few ways to feel better after you spring forward. If you get a case of the Mondays following daylight saving time, there may actually be medical evidence for it. Not only are we losing an hour of sleep by springing forward, but our circadian rhythm — aka our internal clock — gets … Read More
After Luke Perry: A Greater Awareness of Stroke Symptoms
When your grandmother suffers a devastating stroke, it is a family tragedy, but it does not necessarily make the headlines. When Luke Perry has a massive stroke at age 52, it does. Stroke remains a surprisingly common occurrence, striking someone in the United States every 40 seconds, and killing someone every 3 minutes and 45 … Read More
Is Gaming Disorder a Real Addiction, and How Can I Tell if it's Affecting my Child?
Studies have shown that video games and other addictions, such as alcohol and nicotine, affect neural pathways in similar ways: They all lead to an increase in dopamine levels in specific pleasure centers of the brain. While drugs increase dopamine levels far more than video games, gaming can have a similar deleterious effect of “taking … Read More
Video Game 'Disorder' is a Real Thing, and Concern is Growing
Just when you thought it was OK to play violent video games like “Carmageddon” and “Manhunt” for endless hours, nanny state thinking wants to limit your Xbox activity. But it’s not about that last-century belief that gamers might turn into violent zombies. This time, the warnings are both sobering and serious. The World Health Organization … Read More
What It's Like To: Be Free From Epilepsy
Chris Marten of Santa Ana turned his life around after brain surgery stopped his daily seizures. This is his story: From age 18 on, I was a ticking time bomb. That year, while driving, I had an epileptic seizure. Neurons in your brain misfire, sending wild signals to muscles and nerves. I lost consciousness for … Read More