Locations
Office
Santa Maria, CA
Phone
Insurances accepted
Aetna
Blue cross blue shield
Medicaid
United healthcare
About
Bio
After graduation from University of Illinois, Chicago School of Medicine, I interned at Cook County Hospital, then served in United Public Health Service as general medical officer before returning to Chicago for 5 year neurosurgical residency with a strong emphasis on neurology and neuroradiology. From Chicago I came to Santa Maria, California in solo practice, combining both operative neurosurgery and neurology. Lately my chief interests are in traumatic brain injury and behavioral neurology (neuropsychology). Spinal pain and headache have long been prominent in my practice. I purposefully have a low volume practice so that individual patients can be afforded thorough evaluation and then treatment. I have patients I've been treating over 30 years. That is very rewarding.
SpecialtiesDoctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Neurology
Languages spoken
English
Doctor Q&A
903 Answers
552 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 27-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
The brain's a muscle: Using the brain for active tasks of any kind helps preserve memory. Socialization with other people face to face is excellent both for verbal and non-... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Higher than average: I assume from your question that you are relating to a fetus in utero or as yet unconceived. Ultrasound can detect spina bifida prior to birth. For as... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Professional?: Do you mean getting evaluated by a general doctor, a neurologist, a stroke neurologist? Or do you mean what tests should be done. If you have not had ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
See, it's stress: The effect of stress cannot be underestimated as a cause of neurological symptoms, including all sorts of hallucinations. But emotional causes should ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Yes but...: There are so many causes of headache of which many are felt in the temples, one of which causes is vasculitis. But vasculitis is a rare cause of heada... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Several: Genetic testing is commercially available on order by your physician.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Reassure or Rx: Hallucinations occur in large proportion of demented patients. Unfortunately there is no cure. The best non-medical therapy is gentle reassurance. Bu... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
50-50 proposition: Injection of steroids into the epidural space for relief of non-cancer pain has a 50% success rate independent of pathology. Success may last days, we... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Scar tissue: The arachnoid is a membrane covering nerves within the cranium and spinal canal. Inflammatory conditions (usually caused by infection, blood or traum... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 46-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Yes: Sleeping hard means being so deeply asleep that the person is unresponsive to stimuli which would ordinarily cause some postural adjustment or actual ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed Dec 04, 2021
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Yes, quite often: In fact many so-called tension headaches have similar underlying neurochemical traits to migraine, hence may respond to similar treatments. See your ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 36-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Heart: These symptoms suggest a sudden and serious restriction of blood flow from a heart-related problem. See your physician or cardiologist soon.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
It's a definition: The cerebrum is the majority of the brain. Other brain parts exclusive of the cerebrum include brainstem, cerebellum and cranial nerves. Therefor, cer... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Possibly: If you have a problem of cryoglobulinemia, you are at greater stroke risk. Other blood conditions can be associated with hives and urticaria plus incr... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Variable: Meningiomas have a spectrum of progression from extremely indolent (slow-growing) to rapidly progressive. The pace of any tumor can be judged its prev... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 51-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Not necessarily: If the stroke is established, i.e., the acute phase is over, then a general neurologist should be satisfactory. Studies have shown that acute strokes ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 21-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Brain injured?: For head trauma in the presence of concussion or persistent neurologic deficits, ct scan, not skull x-ray should have been done. If you are several d... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Shortened: Treating hypertension will help improve longevity. Other stroke risk factors should also be addressed.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Stroke!: Until proven otherwise, it is a stroke--a medical emergency! time is brain! the longer you wait, the more you lose. Get checked immediately if this ha... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Yes: If you have had a cerebral embolism, you should be taking warfarin. If you have had an ischemic stroke, then you need an antiplatelet drug, of which A... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Nerves maybe: Often nerves can be pinched exiting the spine by certain positions. Poor blood flow to the legs is a cause. Restless leg syndrome symptoms are relieve... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Surgery: Although the actual choice of surgical approach is dependent upon different factors, acoustic neuromas are expanding tumors next to the brainstem. Bes... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Spinal fluid balloon: Arachnoid is a membrane in the nervous system which is in contact with spinal fluid. Sometimes the fluid is entrapped in folds of the arachnoid causin... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Depends on tendons: Most joints are stabilized by tendons, which both direct and limit the possible motions of the joint. Muscle tone can contribute to limitation of join... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Always: The ability to think is dependent upon having a functioning cerebral hemisphere. Anything that messes the brain up will cause trouble thinking. The ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Quantity not quality: Effects of oral contraceptives on anticonvulsants including Lamictal depends on the quantity of estrogens. The less estrogen, the less the drug intera... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Acronyms again: Tmi means what? Transient myocardial infarction? There are several possibilities which may explain the symptoms: hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, hypoten... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 24-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Dystonia? stress? : 2 possibilities come to mind quickly. 1 is mechanically induced muscle spasm which could be postural and/or due to skeletal abnormalities. 2 dystonia ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 54-year-old female asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Blood pressure issue: "dizziness", which a vague term, commonly is reported with high blood pressure, especially if blood pressure rises abruptly from a lower level. The bl... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old female asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Unrelated: Dark cloudy urine is a sign of dehydration and/or infection. Unless your hydrocephalus is related to chiari syndrome, it is very unlikely to have any ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 50-year-old male asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Posture?: Are you saying your legs tingle when you urinate? If so, and if it only occurs while standing to urinate, you may have nerve compression in lower lumb... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
"take 2 aspirin &..": "common" headaches, which are usually stress or infection (URI) induced respond nicely to otc meds, such as aspirin. There are at least 500 causes of ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Unlikely: Risk of true infertility is rare. Risk of failure of embryo to survive is higher. Risk of fetal malformation is even greater. Dilantin is pregnancy ca... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 29-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Hi rep, low resist: High repetition, low resistance exercise, combined with aerobic conditioning (to build lung and heart capacity to deliver oxygen to muscle), combined ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
How small and where?: "water" is a normal component of all body tissues, including bone and brain. Too much water can cause brain swelling (cerebral edema) or hydrocephalus... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
2 problems: Headaches don't cause coughing. Coughing may cause headaches. Drugs may cause coughing and headaches. So analyze your problem. Did cough occur first a... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 29-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Until something bad: There is no limit on fainting, depending on the cause--but sooner or later it's going to get you. Either you will get seriously injured when falling, ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 73-year-old female asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Depends on drug: Certain drugs, which are Dopamine antagonists (typically drugs for psychosis, mood disorders, ocd, and some antihypertensives) can cause parkinson-lik... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 53-year-old female asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
"Sleep wrong": Assuming you have only back pain, done nothing physically unusual in the preceding few days, and are not menstruating/ovulating, then most likely your... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Maybe nothing: Igg levels in CSF are a reflection of igg levels in the CNS (fluid and tissue, respectively). What does "slightly" mean. Could it be a small differenc... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old female asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
CT scan of what?: Several different conditions can cause those symptoms. A partial list includes gall stones, pancreatitis, hepatitis, spinal tumors, irritated spinal n... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Voluntarily?: The same way people who don't have spina bifida lose weight: diet control and exercise.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 21-year-old female asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Very likely.: Sounds like a problem for pediatric epileptologist. Overnight full eeg with video monitoring might be very helpful. Maturational disorders are frequen... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old female asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
STOP acronyms now: Someone more acronymically-attuned than i will surely be able to answer your question but i must comment that acronyms usually reflect provincialism w... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 22-year-old female asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Veins? arteries?: Direct effects of impaired circulation, often venous can cause blue, numb arm and hand with weakness. Arterial blockage can do the same. Secondary vas... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 26-year-old female asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Muscle spasm: Most likely this represents muscle spasm, very common in people under a lot of stress, or who keep the neck in a fixed position too long, or who have ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 52-year-old male asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
In one ear--: Most likely a blocked eustacian tube has occurred which can affect hearing. In turn a disorder in the back of your throat could cause this blockage an... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
The eyes have it.: Let your symptoms be your guide in answering your question. If you starting getting pain around eyes (forehead, temples), vision gets blurry or eyes j... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old female asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Almost anything: There are so many possibilities to the very generalized symptoms you describe, that only a physical examination can help discover the answer to your q... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old female asked:
Dr. Edward Smithanswered
Neurology 56 years experience
Ice pack: Ice pack. Treating the swelling may have cosmetic benefits (short term) but doesn't affect long term results. Ice can also reduce pain. Apply it for n... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
TestimonialsRecommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
3
Recommendations
1.2K
Thank you notes
HealthTap member
Mar 30, 2015
Dr. Smith is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Mar 31, 2015
Dr. Smith is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Mar 31, 2015
Dr. Smith is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Thank you .I am booked to see a neurologist at the end of October. What sort of follow up tests would you advise. What are the best and worse case scenarios with this? I still have headaches, STM is...Read More
HealthTap member
1. What checks are normally done for pituitary. 2. what are best and worse case scenarios with such pituitary problem ?
My trauma was to front temporal lobe... I have been signed off with post cons...Read More
HealthTap member
Thank you for your response! She's my first child and I love her very much I never leave her crying for more than a few seconds, but sometimes I need to get away to grab a bite to eat so I get worried...Read More
Education & Training
Medical/Graduate school
University of Illinois College of Medicine, IL
Graduated 1967MD
Awards
HealthTap Founding Doctor
Affiliations
Arroyo grande community hospital
Goleta valley cottage hospital
Marian medical center
Publications
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