The Connection Bridgewater-Somerville Edition Feb/Mar 2019

www.theconnectionsnj.com Christel Haase, Ph.D. Certified Reflexologist 7,000 That’s how many nerve endings there are on each foot Make an Appointment Today 908-806-0266 • ChristelHaase8@gmail.com 4 Walter E. Foran Blvd, Ste 404 • Flemington Clinical Foot Reflexology (including Foot Soak) 60 Min. Reg. $75.00 Special $63.00 Stimulation to nerve endings (reflex points) promotes circulation/lymph flow; relieves tension/stress, headaches/migraines, allergies, insomnia, foot/toe joint stiffness; & discomfort of plantar fasciitis, neuropathy, injury, tendonitis, and muscular issues. Expires March 31, 2019 Pedicupping Reflexology 60 Min. Reg. $75.00 Special $60.00 All the benefits of Reflexology. Vacuum Suction applied to soft tissue of feet also loosens adhesions & softens scar tissue. Expires March 31, 2019 Thai Foot Reflexology Massage/Reflex Footcare w/Essential Oils 30 Min. Reg. $43.00 Special $38.00 Combines relaxing yet invigorating reflexology & foot massage with healing properties of essential oil blends. Expires March 31, 2019 Foot pain and discomfort reveals more than the fit of your shoes – it’s also a stress signal from your glands, organs and body parts. Reflexology targets the foot/body connection, which helps ease the discomfort allowing your body to function in a more balanced way. WITH NEUROSURGERY, A DOCTOR’S SUB-SPECIALTIES CAN SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT YOUR HEALTH If you saw college freshman Abbey Velis- chek walking around campus, swimming or working out at the gym, you would be surprised to learn that just months before coming to school she underwent major spinal reconstruction surgery. Velischek, who had worn a brace for years to correct the adolescent scoliosis she was diagnosed with in the fourth grade, was finding herself in pain and unable to stand on her feet for long peri- ods of time. When x-rays revealed the curvature of her spine had worsened, she and her parents knew it was time to begin seriously exploring the possibility of surgery. Like many patients who live in the Tri- State Area, the Velischeks first gravitated toward seeking care in New York City. That all changed when they connected with Dr. Scott A. Meyer, a board-certified neurosurgeon at Atlantic NeuroSurgical Specialists (ANS) in Morristown, NJ, who specializes in reconstructive surgery for spinal deformities, such as scoliosis. “While neurosurgery in itself is highly specialized, a neurosurgeon’s sub-spe- cialties can have a very significant impact on a patient’s health and long-term out- comes,” says Dr. Meyer. Dr. Meyer, who performs roughly 75 spinal reconstruction surgeries each year, explains that even within the community of spine surgeons, there are far fewer who are comfortable addressing spinal deformities. “Because of the significant curvature of Abbey’s spine and her worsening symp- toms, it was clear she would need recon- structive surgery,” he adds. “It was als o clear that with the right skill an d approach, we could alleviate her pain , improve her quality of life and help kee p her on track to head off to college a s planned.” After weighing her options, Abbey elect - ed to undergo spinal fusion surgery wit h Dr. Meyer. During the five-hour proce - dure, Dr. Meyer – aided by advance d technologies that enable 3-D navigatio n during surgery – essentially used a serie s of small screws to manipulate an d straighten her spine. “Compared to the metal rods that wer e used to correct scoliosis decades ago , spinal fusion allows the curvature to b e corrected at each point, with less strai n on the vertebrae. Patients experienc e better results, greater stability and flex i- bility, and typically return more rapidly t o their normal functions,” he notes. Patients also benefit from the new tech - nology. The Medtronic O-arm® Intra - operative Imaging System and th e StealthStation® Surgical Navigation Sys - tem, installed at Atlantic Health System ’s Overlook Medical Center and Morris - town Medical Center, help ensure mor e accurate placement of spinal hardware , often with smaller incisions, shorter sur - gical time, less pain and faster recover y compared with older technologies. Abbey was walking just four days afte r surgery as she began to regain her mobi l- ity and start the healing process. Thre e months later, with few limitations o n physical activity, she went off to colleg e as a pre-med student. “Undergoing this surgery wasn’t a dec i- sion I made lightly, and my recovery has - n’t been without hard work,” Abbe y shares. “On the whole, however, D r. Meyer gave me all the confidence in th e world that this was the best path for me . He was right.” Atlantic NeuroSurgical Specialist s (ANS) is New Jersey’s largest neu - rosurgical practice and one of th e most advanced in the countr y. Since its founding in 1958, ANS has specialize d in the diagnosis and treatment of disorder s affecting the spine and nervous system. For mor e information, visit www.ansdocs.com. After undergoing spinal reconstruction surgery to address worsening scoliosis, Abbey Velischek was quick to get on the road to recovery … and off to college. New Jersey native Abbey Velischek was weighing the options for treating her scoliosis when she met Dr. Scott A. Meyer of Atlantic NeuroSurgical Specialists and discovered highly specialized care close to home. WWW.GASTROMEDHEALTHCARE.COM GASTROMED@AOL.COM We specialize in Gastroenterology, which is the treatment of diseases and disorders of the digestive system or gastrointestinal (GI) tract. %$&% (& ( &" + ( & %+$ $(& &"* "##' %&%) ! ( #(%$ )"( "' ( + , Announcing: PAGE 16 Health & Wellness