Locations
Office
Austin, TX
About
Bio
++++++++++++I am in the army reserve in order to take care of our troops. I do intracranial and complex spine surgery. I do shunts, aneurysm clippings, bypasses, tumor resections and functional neurosurgery including stimulators for Parkinson's.
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.
Neurosurgery
Languages spoken
English
Doctor Q&A
105 Answers
17 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 21-year-old member asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Study from 1976: There was an increase in blacks and more so native americans but was thought to do with over crowding and poverty. There is some more recent evidence... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old male asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Delerium tremens: Latin for "shaking frenzy". These are due to severe alcohol withdrawl. A person who acutely withdraws from chronic alcohol abuse needs to be medical... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 27-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Puffy back: There is fat there that is greater on some people. If there is no pain, reddness or drainage from the area it is most likely normal. If it bothers y... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Distal tubing: There are several methods used including endoscopic placement with only one or two small incisions. I like to make a small incision in the abdomen wh... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 22-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Syringomyelia: There is an association that is not well studied and beyond the amount of space I have here. At 22 years of age you should have stabilized your spine... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 57-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Sinus infection: These indicate chronic and repeated sinus infections and should be evaluated by an ENT surgeon. Chronic infections in sinuses can lead to bacteria en... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Compression fracture: Often when there is some nerve impingement there is a feeling of swelling. The numbness also signals possible nerve root impingement. I do not know ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Progression: The disease progresses as more motor neurons die off ultimately leading to paralysis and or stopping breathing. Als is the most deadly motor neuron d... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 28-year-old male asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Ozone: It has shown some promise with herniated discs but not for the treatment of kyphosis or facet pain.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 25-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Good : The programmable shunt should be reprogrammed after exposure to a highly magnetic field such as mri.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Acquired hydrocephal: Hydrocephalus at birth is usually secondary to an intracranial hemorrhage at birth or before birth. The most common form later is secondary to stenos... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 21-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Spondylolisthesis: What surgery did you have? It would goog to revisist with your surgeon. There can be degenerative changes in your spine as a result of the surgery o... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 49-year-old member asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Time in air cast: You must stay in the cast as long as your doctor instructs you to. Patient's have variable healing times and needed to be followed with x-ray. It wi... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 21-year-old member asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Pneumococcal meningi: This is not a major risk in adults. It is a risk in children especially under 6. Neisseria meningitis is a risk for college students and there are ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 35-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Tinnitus: Normally a humming sound or the high pitch machine noise or gear noise is do to a problem in the ear or eustachian tubes. It is called tinnitus (tin ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
LEEP: The purpose is to remove abnormal cells. There is no guarantee that all of the abnormal cells are removed or that they will not recurr. The purpose ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old male asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Tingling: This is more than likely due to something in your neck irritating a sensory part of the nerve usually C6 or c7. If you are concerned about it you sho... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 47-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Talk to surgeon: These are benign lesions but can recur. Complications depend on where they are and the competency and experience of the surgeons removing them. A 3c... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 36-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Sinusitis: Sinusitis is common in certain areas of the country with high allergens. Most acute sinusitises are treated by primary care only when the patient de... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Pressure: The shunt has a programmed pressure at which the valve will open therefore the pressure will not exceed that valve pressure. Repeated bending and sta... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Stroke symptoms: Facial weakness, arm weakness, slurred speech can be signs. They can be very dramatic or very slurred. The person may lose consciousness or vision m... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 49-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Cold: Viruses may affect our senses including sense of smell and our tastes, taste buds. Antibiotics very often affect our taste buds. Usually these recov... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 28-year-old male asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Fluroscopy is best: With fluorscopy the joint can be seen provided the individual is not too obese. The ultrasound is not useful.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 22-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Loss of Taste: Probably not. The sense of smell is carried through small fibers of the olfactory nerve that pass through the front base of the skull. These fibers ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Epidural: You do not need a c-section because of cp. The epidural is not placed over the spinal cord but over the nerve roots. Your chance of anything bad hap... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 21-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Omeprazole: Dizzyness and sleepiness are not common side effects of omeprazole. Look on drugs.com or .org (I can't remember). I am sure that you will find a long... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
812 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Which helps: Tens units are very personal and depend on the level of stimulation and the placement. A good physiatrist should fit you.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
It can: Nerve supply comes from the nerve roots leaving at c4-5, c5-6 and c6-7. If these are severely injured you may have pectoral wasting but you should ha... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
No: The treatment for as is early mobility and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication. The more mobility exercises keep the joints active and delay s... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Yes: You can fly after having a concussion. The major treatment is rest and prevention of additional injury. I recommend no dangerous activity for at lea... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 22-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Anxiety: Anxiety attacks are common in people with mvp. It is important to control your breathing and try to calm down, xanax (alprazolam) is a good medicati... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
HGHJ: Hgh is used for growth failure, growth hormone deficiency, intestinal disorder (short bowel syndrome) or hiv-related weight loss or wasting.Somatropin... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 42-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
See your doctor: There are many conditions including TB that can result in night sweats gastritis, reflux and pulmonary disorders or infections can result in increase... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Varicella zoster: Ramsay-hunt may affect hearing and / or facial nerve function on the affected side. Most of the time these do resolve and get better but for some the... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 28-year-old male asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
DBS: Deep brain stimulators are used in the treatment of parkinson's and tremors. A person is scanned with a MRI or ct frame on their head. A burrhole is... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 44-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
LP shunts: Lp shunts are problematic and prone to needing revision. I place multiple holes in the tubing and place the tubing in the bent down position. There ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Glands: There are lymph nodes on the back of the neck which may become inflamed with infections both viral and bacterial. They may also become enlarged with c... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 25-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Yes you can: You can donate blood and plasma and i think that is a great thing to do. The only thing that the blood bank might be concerned about is a potential l... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 23-year-old male asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Hereditary hypokalem: It is treatable but it is not curable. You should be followed closely by a nephrologist.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
VP reservoir: A slow to drain vp reservoir may mean many things. It may mean the valve is in brain tissure, the ventricle may be over drained, there may be a block... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 26-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
White matter lesions: Lesions in the brain are not good. Hypodense lesions are seen which lead to further studies to evaluate the lesions for infection or malignancy. Dis... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old male asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Spinal cord tumors: Tumors in the central nervous system can often grow very slowly and displace tissue gently. At some point the tumor will cause symptoms either by inf... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 19-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
TIA: Transient (temporary) ischemic attack - it is a temporary condition most commonly causing visual changes ie like a window shade is pulled down over th... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old male asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Brain tumor: It is very unlikely to have a brain tumor now with a normal scan in dec 2012. Headaches do not correlate with MRI or ct findings normally. The scans... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old female asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Hydrocephalus: The reason the people with acquired hydrocephalus come for treatment is their disease which is treated with a shunt. These individuals will require t... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Greenstick fracture: Greenstick fractures are common in kids where the bone is more flexible as in a green-stick when you bend it until it breaks. These are incomplete fr... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old male asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Radial nerve graft: The question is complicated in that it depends on the length of time that the nerve has been injured and how much of the nerve has been injured. The ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Moderate: The active ingredients in donnatal (phenobarbital atropine hyoscyamine and scopolamine) have been shown to be more effective than placebo in treating ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old member asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Meningitis: Most bacterial menigitises are infectious although relatively few people become infected. Neisseria meningitis is very infective and needs to be trea... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:
Dr. William Bettsanswered
35 years experience
Stroke : It is extremely unlikely to have a stroke during surgery with modern anesthesia. The rate is less that 1 in 2000 general anesthesia patients. That n... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years agoMerged
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
198
Thank you notes
HealthTap member
Mar 30, 2015
Dr. Betts is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Mar 31, 2015
Dr. Betts is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Oct 9, 2016
Didn't talk to him yet but I am planning to.
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! Thank you Dr, Betts I am going to see an ENT on 10/28/13. Or before.
HealthTap member
Your answer made me feel good, thanks! Thank you so much. I always worry before I put anything in my body.
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! Not very good with a computer but just got it Thank you
Education & Training
Medical/Graduate school
University of Texas Medical School at San Antonio, TX
Graduated 1988MD
Awards
Top Doctor, First Place, Texarkana, AR - Winter
2013
Most Influential, Third Place, Texarkana, AR - Winter
2013
Top Neurosurgeon , First Place, Arkansas - Winter
2013
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