Phantosmia: 8 things to know about olfactory hallucinations
Phantosmia is the scientific term for olfactory hallucinations — that is, the perception of odors that do not exist. It’s like detecting the aroma of coffee brewing at home when no one is making it, or smelling the scent of roses at work when no one is wearing perfume or has flowers at their desk.
Here, I’ll explore what causes phantosmia, how it’s treated, and if it can ever be a sign of cancer...
Secondary cancers: Why they occur and how to catch them early
Though it happens very infrequently, sometimes people develop a second type of cancer in addition to the first. This could be due to a number...
5 meningioma questions, answered
Meningiomas are a primary central nervous system tumor that make up 38% of all primary intracranial tumors. They are typically benign...
Meningioma patient hits home run with care team
Elizabeth Somers wants everyone to know about meningiomas. This tumor of the central nervous system begins in the coverings that surround the brain or spinal cord and is the most common type of intracranial brain tumor. Most meningiomas are slow-growing and can go undetected for years.
Elizabeth’s baseball-sized tumor was not cancerous, but it became life-threatening, and even altered how she smells and tastes. Thanks to the care...
Helping my husband through brain tumor surgery
My husband, Richard, likes to say, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it!” That’s what he said to me when I first noticed the small bump on the...
My brain tumor story: From caregiver to patient
As a child and adolescent psychiatrist in Puerto Rico, I always tell my patients that in any situation, no matter how hard or difficult it...
Life with a benign brain tumor
My first brain surgery was in 1988. I had been diagnosed with a meningioma, a benign brain tumor, in my occipital lobe. Because it’s also...