Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.
Steven Doerr, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Doerr received his undergraduate degree in Spanish from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He graduated with his Medical Degree from the University Of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, Colorado in 1998 and completed his residency training in Emergency Medicine from Denver Health Medical Center in Denver, Colorado in 2002, where he also served as Chief Resident.
In some instances, certain brain lesions can be prevented, though not all
types can be completely prevented. For some brain lesion types, reducing various
risk factors can lessen the chances the brain lesions will develop; however if
they do, there are sometimes ways to slow the progression of symptoms. Each type
of brain lesion varies somewhat in its prevention. The following list, though
not entirely comprehensive, provides readers with the various types of brain
lesions, and recognized preventive measures.
Traumatic: Avoid risky behaviors, wear protective equipment (bicycle or
motorcycle helmets) and use seatbelts in automobiles
Infectious: Avoid any contact with infected individuals, especially those
diagnosed with meningitis. Some people may need to take antibiotics to prevent
the disease if exposed.
Malignant (cancerous): Stop tobacco smoking and avoid places where you are
exposed to smoke, avoid environmental or work-related chemicals associated with
cancer, wear protective clothing and masks when appropriate, undergo
routine
checkups and tests (for example, prostate,
testicle and
breast exams,
Pap smear,
mammograms,
colonoscopy, etc.) to detect any cancers early when they are more
easily treated.
Benign (non-cancerous): Although no good prevention methods are known
(other than those possibly for cancer), early diagnosis and treatment may
prevent more serious complications if the benign tumor is removed while
relatively small in size.
Vascular: Arteriovenous malformations, if found before a significant bleed
into the brain occurs, can be clipped (surgically neutralized) before they cause
serious brain damage. Strokes may be reduced or prevented by maintaining a
healthy lifestyle (for example,
healthy diet, exercising, avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol
intake, maintaining a healthy weight), and keeping your
blood pressure and
cholesterol low. If a
person has diabetes,
proper
glucose level control can
help prevent many cardiovascular diseases. Individuals with with
high blood pressure and
other medical problems should take their medications as prescribed by their
physician. People with a history of strokes or
transient ischemic attacks (TIA's
or mini-strokes) are advised in most situations to take an 81 mg
aspirin (a baby
aspirin) once a day to help prevent subsequent strokes and cardiac problems.
Genetic: Other than not being part of a certain gene pool (which
people
have no control over), the only way to help prevent or slow these conditions is
to avoid any situations or chemicals that may trigger the genomic expression or
accelerate the genetic process. Unfortunately, most of these compounds are only
suspected or associated with brain lesion development.
Immune: Generally speaking, there is no current effective way to
completely prevent immune mediated brain lesions, however, medications may help
to prevent or halt relapses, as well as slow the overall progression of the
disease.
Plaques (deposits of substances in brain tissue): Alzheimer's disease is
the major disease in this type of brain lesion category. Age and genetics likely
play a role in its development, but these factors are not controlled by an
individual. However, most investigators suggest that a healthy diet, routine
exercise,
and intellectual and social stimulation are all likely to slow the advancement
of this disease. Additionally, there are medications that may help delay or
prevent symptoms from becoming worse, though the disease will not be halted
altogether.
Brain cell death or malfunction: Since the causes of these brain lesions
are unknown, there is no effective treatment to stop the advancement of these
lesions. The classic example of a such a disease is Parkinson's disease. Like
Alzheimer's disease, age, and possibly genetics, may play a role in its
development and most investigators suggest that a healthy diet,
routine exercise,
and intellectual and social stimulation are all likely to slow the advancement
of this disease. Fortunately, some knowledge about the neuropathology of
Parkinson's disease (the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells) has led to the
development of medications that in some patients, markedly reduce symptoms for
some time. However, as in Alzheimer's disease, the disease is progressive.
Ionizing radiation: Radiation exposure may be prevented by taking
appropriate precautions, especially barrier shielding for those working around
sources of ionizing radiation (X-ray technicians, radiologists, researchers,
workers in the nuclear power industry, and others) in order to prevent ions from
disrupting or killing brain cells (and other cell types). In addition, though
ionizing radiation is used by physicians to shrink and kill tumors and cancer
cells, in some instances, normal brain tissue and other types of cells may be
damaged or killed. Precise and careful targeting to avoid major damage to normal
tissue can help mitigate this problem.
Must Read Articles Related to Brain Lesions (Lesions on the Brain)
Alzheimer DiseaseAlzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in industrialized nations. Dementia is a brain disorder that interferes with a person's ability to...learn more >>
Alzheimer's Disease FAQsAlzheimer's disease is a fatal brain disorder. Familial and sporadic are the two types of Alzheimer's disease. The three stages include early, intermediate, and...learn more >>
