Legionnaires’ Disease

Posted on July 18, 2026 by Patrick Hercules

Legionnaires’ disease is a serious, life-threatening type of pneumonia caused by breathing in mist or getting water that has been contaminated with Legionella bacteria in the lungs.

You can also get Legionnaires’ disease from:

Hot tubs

Shower heads

Faucets

Humidifiers

Decorative water features

Heating and cooling systems, usually only in large buildings

Intubation during surgery

Dirt

Legionnaires’ disease is not contagious. Most people don’t get Legionnaires’ disease, even if they have been around Legionella bacteria. But some people are more likely to get sick with Legionella infection than others. You can have an increased risk of getting Legionnaires’ disease if you:

Are older than 50 years old

Smoke or used to smoke cigarettes

Have a weakened immune system caused by certain medical conditions, such as HIV, diabetes, cancer, and kidney or liver disease, and medications that can compromise your immune system

Have a long-term respiratory illness, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or emphysema

Live in a long-term care facility

Have stayed in a hospital recently

Have had surgery requiring anesthesia recently

Have received an organ transplant recently

Legionnaires’ disease causes pneumonia-like symptoms that start two to 14 days after exposure to Legionella. It can also cause neurological and gastrointestinal symptoms.

Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease include:

Fever (often over 104⁰F/40⁰C)

A dry cough

Shortness of breath

Diarrhea

Muscle aches

Headache

Nausea

Confusion

Coughing up blood

Abdominal pain

The most common way to diagnose Legionnaires’ disease is with urine and sputum tests. A healthcare provider may use imaging tests, such as an X-ray or CT scan, to get pictures of the inside of your chest. They will also take a physical exam and ask you about your health and travel history.

Other tests used to diagnose Legionnaires’ disease can include:

Blood tests

Bronchoscopy

Thoracentesis

The treatment for Legionnaires’ disease is antibiotics, either intravenously or in pill form. If you are having trouble breathing, a healthcare provider may give you treatments to help you get enough oxygen. You will probably have to stay in the hospital while you are being treated.

You can reduce your risk at home by making sure shower heads, faucets, hot tubs, and humidifiers are properly cleaned.

If you are experiencing any symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease, you can schedule an appointment with a doctor at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center. Please call (718) 206-7001.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

ABC Method for Better Sleep and Better Brain Health

Posted on July 17, 2026 by Patrick Hercules

We all have nights when we can’t get a good night’s sleep. We toss and turn all night, waking up exhausted because of poor sleep quality.

If you are experiencing poor sleep quality, the ABC method or ABCs of respiratory therapy can help you sleep properly and efficiently. The ABC method stands for:

Airway

Breathing

Circulation

This method helps regulate a variety of things, primarily oxygenation, which helps your body recover and stay functioning. Finding the right sleep position is essential to the ABC method.

According to Dr. John Saito, a representative for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), everyone has their own idea of what a good sleep position is, whether it is on the left or right side, the back, or stomach, but it all depends on the context.

If a person is sleeping on their back and has a good support pillow that keeps their spine and neck in a neutral position, it allows their airway to remain open and unobstructed, and they can breathe easily. However, if a person has sleep apnea, sleeping on their back can be harmful to health, as their throat muscles become too relaxed and block the body’s upper airway.

The ABC method can also work with babies, as most doctors recommend putting them on their backs to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), which is an unexplained death that usually occurs during sleep.

Dr. Saito suggests that sleeping on your side can offer several benefits. Sleeping on your right side may be better for blood flow, as well as lower pressure on your heart, due to the flexible compartment located between your lungs called the mediastinum, which helps hold your heart in place.

Sleeping on your left side can also provide some benefits, as it may be better for clearing the waste product in the brain. This is known as the glymphatic system, which is the brain’s specialized waste clearance network that clears any harmful metabolic byproducts while we sleep, including proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

Lastly, Dr. Saito points out the difference between sleeping in a fetal or curled position and spreading out. Sleeping on either side of your body, with your spine straight, helps keep it aligned, while curling up on your side helps to ease lower back pain. However, being too curled up can compress your diaphragm and chest, which restricts breathing.

Having trouble sleeping because you can’t find a comfortable sleeping position can cause you to move a lot throughout the night as you try to reposition yourself. This can disrupt your sleep and affect the quality of your sleep. Here are ways to practice sleeping in better positions to help you get a restful night’s sleep:

If you sleep on your side, place a pillow between your knees to help better align your head, neck, and hips. This neutral posture can make breathing easier and result in deeper and more restorative sleep

If you sleep on your back, place a pillow under your knees

If you sleep on your stomach, place a thin pillow under your hips

Additionally, choosing a mattress that adheres to the natural curve of your spine is an essential part of getting a good night’s sleep.

There isn’t just one best position to sleep in. A lot of factors go into how your sleep position affects your quality of sleep. Whether you suffer from sleep apnea, back pain, are a chronic snorer, or are pregnant, the major goal is to find a comfortable and unobtrusive sleeping position that allows you to get a good night’s sleep. Choose whichever sleep position that makes you the most comfortable, as it will give you the best and most rest.

Our New York Sleep Clinic staff consists of board-certified sleep specialists and respiratory therapists who are highly skilled in evaluating and treating sleep disorders. Our compassionate staff will ensure your stay is pleasant and helpful to your health. For additional information or to make an appointment, please call 718-206-5916.

Common Vaccines That Can Prevent Chronic Diseases or Some Cancers

Posted on July 16, 2026 by Patrick Hercules

Vaccines don’t just protect you from specific infectious diseases or help reduce the severity of symptoms if you get sick. They also play a significant role in preventing you from developing common chronic diseases, including certain cancers.

What’s more, there is an increasing amount of research that has shown that vaccines can reduce the risk of developing dementia and heart conditions.

Here are some common vaccines that can prevent chronic diseases and some cancers:

HPV Vaccine

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common infection spread by skin-to-skin contact, often through sex, and is responsible for most cervical cancers. It can also cause a large number of lower genital cancers and certain head and neck cancers.

Studies have shown that rates of HPV infection, early signs of precancer, and cervical cancer have fallen since the HPV vaccine was introduced. A 2024 study of an estimated 3.5 million participants found fewer cases of HPV-related cancers in people who were vaccinated. Another study found that cervical cancer deaths among women younger than 25 years old dropped more than 60 percent in recent years, with researchers suggesting that the significant decline was most likely the result of vaccinations.

The HPV vaccine should be administered to all young people between the ages of nine and 26. It can be given to people up to the age of 45; however, the vaccine is less effective the older you are. Two doses of the vaccine are recommended for most people younger than 15 years old, and three shots for people between 15 and 26 years old and those who are immunocompromised.

Shingles Vaccine

Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox. Unfortunately, the virus doesn’t leave your body after you have recovered from chicken pox and stays dormant in your nervous system, and for some people, it can reactivate and cause a painful rash. In the U.S., an estimated one million people get shingles each year, and for certain people, it can sometimes also cause lifelong chronic pain conditions or other serious complications, such as vision loss.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the shingles vaccine is 97 percent effective in preventing shingles in adults between 50 and 69 years old.

Additionally, many large-scale studies have reported a connection between the shingles vaccine and reduced risk of dementia. There is also research that suggests the vaccine could reduce the risk of cardiovascular events such as stroke, heart failure, and coronary artery disease. The CDC recommends two doses of a shingles vaccine for adults 50 and older, or people 19 years or older with weakened immune symptoms. The chicken pox vaccine for children can help prevent shingles when they’re older.

Hepatitis B Vaccine

The hepatitis B virus is a leading risk factor for liver disease and cancer later in life. It can be contracted through sexual contact, needles, and childbirth, and can be passed from person to person through blood, semen, or other bodily fluids.

Acute hepatitis B can be a short-term illness that happens within the first six months of exposure to the virus. It can cause people to have no symptoms or only mild sickness. However, the illness, which is a liver infection that can become a lifelong chronic condition if left untreated, could lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. It is recommended that all infants receive the vaccine at birth, with the series of shots to be completed in the first 15 months of their life.

Flu, Coronavirus, and RSV Vaccine

Vaccines that help prevent infections from respiratory viruses are important because they protect us against serious disease, as well as flare-ups or worsening of existing chronic health conditions.

A study done in 2020 found higher rates of severe flu infections among adults with certain chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, kidney disease, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma. Additionally, a study of 46 million adults observed that the incidence of heart attacks and strokes decreased after people received coronavirus vaccinations.

The CDC recommends that everyone six months and older should get an annual flu shot.

It is also important for those who have chronic conditions to get the coronavirus and RSV vaccines.

RSV can be devastating for children and elderly people. Getting the RSV vaccine is recommended for babies, pregnant women to protect their babies, adults ages 50 to 74 with chronic health conditions, and all adults 75 and older.

Bacterial Vaccines

Bacterial infections such as meningitis and pneumonia can also lead to chronic disabilities or even death.

The longer a person has a meningitis infection, the greater the risk of the infection causing serious complications such as hearing loss, vision troubles, memory issues, learning disabilities, brain damage, seizures, and kidney failure.

Pneumonia can have long-term effects, such as depression, heart disease, and blood vessel diseases that worsen. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, pneumonia could cause kidney, liver, and heart damage due to the organs not getting enough oxygen to function properly, or because of the immune system responding negatively to the infection.

Both bacterial meningitis and pneumonia can lead to sepsis. If treated early, a person suffering from sepsis can recover completely; however, others might experience long-term effects, including insomnia, nightmares or hallucinations, panic attacks, joint and muscle pain, decreased cognitive function, and organ failure.

The CDC recommends all preteens and teens, as well as children and adults who are at an increased risk, receive the meningococcal vaccine, as it protects against the disease that causes meningitis. Children five years and younger and adults 50 or older should receive the pneumococcal vaccine, which helps prevent pneumonia and other infections, including meningitis and sepsis.

It is important to remember that getting vaccinated is the best way to protect against worsening or serious symptoms of illness and developing chronic diseases and cancers.

To learn more about our infectious disease services or to make an appointment with our infectious disease physicians, please contact Jamaica Hospital Medical Center at 718-206-6000.

Patient Testimony- Neil Moir

Posted on July 2, 2026 by Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

“You saved my life” is what I said after Dr. Yahya Atalay and the staff at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center saved my life after I had a major stroke at JFK Airport.

On November 3rd of last year, I ended up in the emergency room at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center after having a major stroke while I was in the departure lounge at JFK Airport while travelling back to the UK.

While in Jamaica Hospital’s emergency department, it was discovered that I had a blood clot in my brain. Dr. Yahya Atalay, a neuro-intervention specialist, treated me and successfully performed a thrombectomy, a procedure to remove the clot from my brain via my groin.

After the operation, I was completely unable to move the right-hand side of my body and could not talk. Over the next three days, I regained full use of my right-hand side, and my speech was almost back to normal with only a slight impediment, which only my wife had noticed.

The care I received was second to none. All the staff at the hospital were professional, dedicated, and caring. I was discharged after three days, which everyone seemed quite impressed with.

My family and I cannot thank all the hospital staff enough for what they did over my three-day stay with them.

I would also like to thank my wife, Serena, who has been a rock over the last few months during my recovery after my episode.

Kindest Regards,

Neil Moir

The Dangers of Misusing the Allergy Medication Diphenhydramine

Posted on June 12, 2026 by Patrick Hercules

When people are experiencing allergy symptoms such as coughs, sneezes, a runny nose, congestion, and itchy eyes, nose, or throat, they turn to allergy medications like diphenhydramine to help quell them. Diphenhydramine is an over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamine that, when used as directed, is usually safe for occasional allergy or sleep symptoms. However, when diphenhydramine is misused and more than the recommended dosage is taken, it can cause serious health risks.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated one million people are seen in U.S. hospital emergency departments for adverse drug events each year, and more than one-fourth are hospitalized.

Unfortunately, teenagers have been reportedly taking dangerously high doses of diphenhydramine intentionally to provoke hallucinations. In 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned that taking higher doses of diphenhydramine could lead to life-threatening complications, including heart problems, such as irregular heart rhythms, seizures, coma, or even death, after news reports of teenagers being admitted to emergency rooms or dying after a TikTok challenge encouraged them to misuse the allergy medication.

In addition to life-threatening complications, misusing diphenhydramine can lead to cognitive decline, psychiatric harm, and neurological injury.

The FDA recommends always reading the drug facts label on all over-the-counter medicines to find out if they contain diphenhydramine, how much and how often you should take them, and important safety information to avoid taking more than the dose listed and prevent serious health risks.

Here are some safety tips to reduce the risk of the potentially harmful effects of misusing diphenhydramine:

Lock medicine away safely to prevent accidental poisoning

Choose medicines that only treat the symptoms you have

Be mindful that many medicines contain multiple ingredients that may interact with alcohol dangerously

Look out for the same active ingredients in medicines taken at the same time, as it may result in an overdose

Do not take medicines longer than needed or in higher doses

Do not take medicines with side effects that impact your ability to drive safely or use heavy machinery until you are in an appropriate and safe environment

Read the dosing directions carefully, especially when it comes to infants and children

Be cautious when taking more than one medicine at a time, as drug-to-drug interactions can cause serious health effects and can even be fatal

If you or a loved one is experiencing a bad reaction or serious side effects to an allergy medication, you can schedule an appointment with a doctor at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center. Please call (718) 206-7001. Please call 911 if there is an emergency.

Aphasia Awareness Month

Posted on June 11, 2026 by Patrick Hercules

June is National Aphasia Awareness Month, a month dedicated to increasing understanding of aphasia. This acquired communication disorder impairs a person’s ability to process language but does not affect their intelligence.

Aphasia affects the ability to speak and understand others, causing most people with the disorder to have trouble reading and writing.

The most common cause of aphasia is stroke. About 25 to 40 percent of stroke survivors are afflicted with aphasia. It can also be a result of a head injury, a brain tumor, or other neurological causes.

There are six types of aphasia, including:

Global aphasia is the most severe form of aphasia and is applied to patients who can produce few recognizable words and understand little or no spoken language. People with global aphasia can’t read or write. It is often seen immediately after the patient has suffered a stroke and may rapidly improve if the damage to the brain has not been too extensive. However, with greater brain damage, there may be severe and lasting disability.

Broca’s aphasia, or non-fluent aphasia, is a form of aphasia in which the speech output is severely reduced and is limited mainly to short utterances of less than four words. A person’s vocabulary access is limited, and so is their ability to form sounds.

Mixed non-fluent aphasia is a form of aphasia that applies to people with sparse and effortful speech, which can resemble severe Broca’s aphasia. However, they remain limited in their speech comprehension and do not read or write beyond an elementary level.

Wernicke’s aphasia, or fluent aphasia, is a form of aphasia in which the ability to grasp the meaning of spoken words is impaired. However, the ease of producing connected speech is not much affected. Reading and writing are often severely impaired.

Anomic aphasia is a form of aphasia that is applied to people left with a persistent inability to supply the words for the things they want to say, particularly significant nouns and verbs.

Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a neurological syndrome in which language capabilities become slowly and progressively impaired. Unlike the other forms of aphasia that result from stroke or brain injury, PPA is caused by Alzheimer’s or frontotemporal lobar degeneration.

A healthcare provider can diagnose aphasia by performing physical and neurological exams. They can also use imaging tests, such as an MRI and a CT scan, to identify what is causing aphasia.

Aphasia can also be diagnosed with the help of a speech-language pathologist who can complete a comprehensive language assessment to confirm the presence of aphasia and determine the appropriate course of language treatment.

The assessment helps find out whether the person can:

Name common objects

Engage in a conversation

Understand and use words correctly

Answer questions about something read or heard

Repeat words and sentences

Follow instructions

Answer yes and no questions and respond to open-ended questions about common subjects

Read and write

There are several treatments for aphasia, including:

Speech and language rehabilitation therapy aims to improve the ability to communicate and help restore as much language as possible. This is done by teaching the person with aphasia how to make up for lost language skills and find other communication methods. This therapy:

Starts early

Often works in groups

May include the use of computers

Medications are being studied to treat aphasia that may improve blood flow to the brain and enhance its ability to recover or help replace the depleted chemicals in the brain.

Brain stimulations, such as transcranial magnetic and direct current stimulation, are being studied to help improve the ability to name things.

Because aphasia is often a sign of a serious problem, such as a stroke, seek emergency medical care if you suddenly develop any symptoms.

If you are experiencing any symptoms of aphasia, you can consult with a neurologist at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 206-7246.

Treatments to Reduce Alzheimer’s Disease

Posted on March 18, 2026 by Patrick Hercules

Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disease and the most common type of dementia. It causes a slow decline in memory, thinking, and reasoning skills. Age is the biggest risk factor for the disease, followed by sex and family history.

There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. However, there is progress in Alzheimer’s and dementia research that is creating promising new treatments for those living with the disease.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved medications for Alzheimer’s disease, which fall into two categories:

· Drugs that change disease progression in people living with early Alzheimer’s

· Drugs that temporarily ease some symptoms of Alzheimer’s

Drugs that change disease progression target the underlying biology of the disease process by aiming to slow the decline of memory and thinking, as well as function.

Anti-amyloid treatments work by removing a protein that accumulates into plaques in the brain, called beta-amyloid. Each treatment works differently and targets beta-amyloid at a different stage of plaque formation.

These treatments change the course of the disease significantly for those who are in the early stages by giving them more time to be able to participate in daily activities and live independently.

The two treatment therapies that change disease progression are Donanemab and Lecanemab.

Donanemab is an anti-amyloid antibody intravenous (IV) infusion therapy that is delivered every four weeks to treat early Alzheimer’s disease, which includes people who are living with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s who have been diagnosed with elevated beta-amyloid in the brain.

Donanemab was the third therapy that demonstrated that removing beta-amyloid from the brain decreases cognitive and functional decline in people living with early Alzheimer’s disease.

Lecanemab was the second therapy to demonstrate that removing beta-amyloid from the brain decreases cognitive and functional decline in people living with early Alzheimer’s disease.

It is important to note that anti-amyloid treatments do have side effects, such as allergic reactions, amyloid-related abnormalities (ARIA), infusion-related reactions, headaches, and falls.

As Alzheimer’s progresses, brain cells die, and the connections among those cells are lost. When this occurs, it causes cognitive and noncognitive symptoms to worsen.

Although these medications don’t stop the damage that Alzheimer’s disease causes to brain cells, they may lessen or stabilize symptoms for a limited time by affecting specific chemicals involved in delivering messages among and between the brain’s nerve cells.

The medications that are prescribed to treat symptoms related to memory and thinking include:

Cholinesterase inhibitors are prescribed to treat symptoms related to memory, thinking, language, judgment, and other thought processes. These medications prevent the breakdown of a chemical messenger important for memory and learning, called acetylcholine. Cholinesterase inhibitors support communication between nerve cells. The most prescribed cholinesterase inhibitors include:

· Benzgalantamine treats mild-to-moderate dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease

· Donepezil treats mild-to-severe dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease

· Galantamine treats mild-to-moderate dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease

· Rivastigmine treats mild-to-moderate dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease as well as mild-to-moderate dementia due to Parkinson’s disease

Possible side effects for these medications include:

· Headache

· Dizziness

· Diarrhea

· Increased frequency of bowel movements

· Nausea

· Vomiting

· Loss of appetite

Glutamate regulators are medications prescribed to improve memory, attention, reasoning, language, and the ability to perform simple tasks. This medication regulates the activity of glutamate, a different chemical messenger that helps the brain process information.

Memantine is a glutamate regulator that treats moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s disease. It can cause side effects that include headaches, constipation, confusion, and dizziness.

A cholinesterase inhibitor combined with a glutamate regulator, such as donepezil and memantine, treats moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s disease. Possible side effects can include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, confusion, dizziness, increased frequency of bowel movements, and constipation.

Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t just impact memory and thinking. It also impacts a person’s quality of life by affecting a variety of behavioral and psychological symptoms that come with dementia, such as agitation, hallucinations and delusions, and sleep disturbances. Some medications focus on treating these non-cognitive symptoms for a time; however, it is important to try non-drug strategies to manage behaviors before adding medications.

The FDA has approved only one drug to manage symptoms of insomnia that has been tested in people who are living with dementia, and one that treats agitation.

Orexin receptor antagonists are prescribed to address symptoms of insomnia and inhibit the activity of a type of neurotransmitter involved in the sleep-wake cycle called orexin.

Suvorexant treats insomnia and has been shown in clinical trials to be effective for people who are living with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Possible side effects can include a risk of impaired alertness and motor function, worsening depression or suicidal thinking, complex sleep behaviors, sleep paralysis, and compromised respiratory function.

Atypical antipsychotics are a group of antipsychotic drugs that target the serotonin and dopamine chemical pathways in the brain. These drugs are mainly used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, as well as add-on therapies for major depressive disorder. The FDA requires that all atypical antipsychotics carry a safety warning that the medication has been associated with an increased risk of death in older patients who are experiencing dementia related psychosis.

Many atypical antipsychotic medications are used “off-label” to treat dementia-related behaviors, and there is only one FDA-approved atypical antipsychotic to treat agitation associated with dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease. It is important to try non-drug strategies to help manage non-cognitive symptoms such as agitation before adding any medications.

Brexpiprazole treats agitation associated with dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease. Possible side effects may include weight gain, sleepiness, common cold symptoms, dizziness, and restlessness.

If you or a loved one is experiencing any symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease or would like to learn more about treatment options, you can consult with a neurologist at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 206-7246.

Botox for Migraines

Posted on March 14, 2026 by Patrick Hercules

Chronic migraines are a severe, recurring type of headache that is often debilitating. Migraines have four phases, which are prodrome, aura, migraine headache, and postdrome.

Although the exact cause of migraines is unknown, researchers believe genetics is a factor.

There are a few conditions and lifestyle factors that can trigger a migraine, including:

Anxiety

Bipolar disorder

Depression

Epilepsy

Sleep disorders

Caffeine or withdrawal from caffeine

Taking certain medications or taking them too often

Migraines are more likely to occur in the morning, making it common to wake up with a migraine. Some people have a predictable pattern of migraines, such as just before a menstrual period. Other people may have trouble recognizing what triggers their migraines.

There is no cure for migraines, but they can be managed and prevented with over-the-counter triptans and pain relievers.

Another treatment that can be used for chronic migraines is Botox. Botox for migraines is a type of botulinum toxin that may prevent chronic migraines and is only recommended by a healthcare provider if a person has 15 or more headaches per month.

Although Botox is mostly known for its cosmetic use, it has medical benefits, such as blocking pain signals before they reach the brain, as certain nerves are highly active during a migraine.

To prevent this from happening, a healthcare provider injects Botox into specific muscles in the head, neck, and shoulders using a tiny needle. These areas connect to the nerves that send pain signals during a migraine. Botox travels along these connected nerves towards the brainstem and blocks the release of chemicals that trigger pain. This may reduce how often a person gets a migraine or make their symptoms less severe when they experience one.

Before receiving Botox for migraine treatment, you will meet with your healthcare provider, who will explain the risks and benefits of it and make sure that it is a safe option for you. If you agree to move forward, you will sign a consent form.

It is important to let your healthcare provider know about any medications and supplements that you are currently taking, as Botox may interact with different types, such as muscle relaxants.

Botox has many side effects, including:

Mild pain and bruising at the injection site

Neck pain and stiffness

Headache

Flu-like symptoms

Temporary changes in appearance

These side effects are usually minimal and will clear up. Let your healthcare provider know if you are experiencing any severe pain or discomfort.

The main benefits of Botox for migraines are that it reduces:

The severity of migraines

The frequency of migraines

The duration of migraines

Botox for migraines has other benefits, including:

It’s effective with long-term use and has minimal complications

It can be combined with other migraine medications

The side effects may be better tolerated than other medications available

Chronic migraines can be painful and debilitating, and trying to find the right treatment to provide relief can be difficult and frustrating. If you are suffering from chronic migraines and haven’t found the right treatment options to relieve your symptoms, discuss Botox treatment for migraines with your healthcare provider.

If you are experiencing any symptoms of chronic migraines and are interested in Botox for migraines, you can consult with a neurologist at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 206-7246.

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)

Posted on August 5, 2025 by Patrick Hercules

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a degenerative brain condition that happens after repeated head injuries. CTE usually affects athletes who play contact sports or military personnel.

CTE causes neurodegeneration, which means it permanently destroys nerve cells in your brain. Over time, this damage can cause changes in your behavior and mental abilities. It has been associated with second impact syndrome, when a second head injury occurs before symptoms of a previous head injury have fully resolved.

Experts are still trying to understand how repeated head injuries and other factors might contribute to the changes in the brain that result in CTE. Researchers are looking at how the number of head injuries someone experiences and how bad the injuries are may affect the risk of CTE.

There are no specific symptoms that have been linked to CTE, as it shares symptoms with other brain conditions that cause neurodegeneration. It can affect your:

Cognitive function, which can cause:

Memory loss

Trouble solving problems or making plans

Trouble making a choice or judging what you should do next

Mild cognitive impairment

Mood and personality, which can cause:

Anxiety

Depression

Mood swings, especially acting or feeling more aggressive or impulsive

Personality changes

Thoughts of self-harm, suicide, or suicidal behavior

Motor function, which can cause:

Balance issues

Loss of coordination

Tremors, twitches, or other muscle movements you can’t control

There is no way to diagnose CTE in a living person. The only way healthcare providers can confirm CTE is by examining samples of a person’s brain with a microscope during their autopsy.

Even though a healthcare provider may not be able to definitively diagnose CTE while a person is alive, they can still make an educated assumption by building a diagnosis using a few factors, including:

A physical exam

A neurological exam

The symptoms a person is experiencing

A person’s medical history, especially if they have had head injuries

Experiencing CTE symptoms doesn’t automatically mean a person has it. There are a lot of conditions that can cause similar symptoms. A healthcare provider will use tests to help diagnose or rule out these other issues. Tests include:

Blood tests

CT scan

Lumbar puncture

PET scan

There is no treatment for CTE because there is currently no cure for it. Unfortunately, if a person has CTE, their symptoms will continue to get worse. Avoiding head injuries is the only way to lower your risk of developing CTE. Wear the right protective equipment for all activities and sports, especially helmets or protective headwear.

If you are experiencing any symptoms of CTE, you can schedule an appointment with a doctor at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center by calling (718) 206-7001. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911.

Foot Drop

Posted on December 13, 2024 by Patrick Hercules

Foot drop or drop foot, is a general term for difficulty lifting the front part of the foot. It happens when you can’t raise the front part of your foot due to weakness or paralysis of the muscles that lift it.

Foot drop may cause a person to drag their feet on the floor when they walk. To avoid this, a person with foot drop may raise the thigh more than usual when walking as though they were climbing stairs. This way of walking, called steppage gait, causes the foot to slap against the floor with each step, sometimes causing the skin on the top of the foot and toes to feel numb.

Foot drop isn’t a disease. It is more a sign of an underlying neurological, muscular, or anatomical problem. Foot drop has several possible causes, typically due to an issue with your nerves and/or muscles. The most common causes are lumbar radiculopathy and peroneal nerve injury. Other causes include:

Brain conditions
Motor neuron conditions
Peripheral neuropathies
Muscle conditions

To diagnose foot drop, a healthcare provider will perform a physical exam, which may show:

Loss of muscle control in your lower leg(s) and foot/feet
Muscle atrophy in your foot or leg
Difficulty lifting your foot and toes

Your healthcare provider may also order any of the following tests to find the underlying cause of foot drop, including:

Imaging tests such as X-rays, ultrasound, and/or an MRI to look for compression or damage in your legs, spine, or brain
Certain blood tests, such as a blood sugar test to check for diabetes and diabetes-related neuropathy
Nerve conduction tests to examine how your nerves are functioning
Electromyography to measure the electrical activity in your leg muscles

Foot drop treatment depends on what is causing it. Sometimes foot drop is temporary, but it can be permanent. If the cause is a chronic condition like multiple sclerosis or ALS, foot drop may be permanent. Possible treatments for foot drop include:

Physical and occupational therapy to help stretch and strengthen your muscles and help you walk better
Braces, splints, or shoe inserts to help support your ankle and foot and keep it in a more natural position

In some cases, people need surgery to relieve pressure on their peroneal nerve or to repair it. If you have chronic foot drop, your healthcare provider may suggest fusing your ankle or foot bones. Or you may have tendon surgery in which a surgeon transfers a tendon from your other leg to the muscle in your affected leg to help it pull your foot up.

If you are experiencing any symptoms of foot drop, you can consult with a neurologist at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 206-7246.