Dr. Joan Marie Franks MD

Recommended Articles

• Yawning Scientific Facts: Why Do We Yawn and Is It Contagious?

  What is yawning?Usually, yawning is associated with boredom, fatigue, and tiredness. Yawning is also very common in animals, such as dogs, monkeys, snakes, and carnivores. Yawning is also associated with numerous superstitious beliefs.In humans, yawning is considered as a purposeful non-verbal...

• Companies Want to Work with People Who Have Autism

  In the United States, statistics indicate that as many as 80-90% of adults on the autism spectrum are either unemployed or underemployed. These poor outcomes are not the result of an inability among individuals with autism to demonstrate their competence and to perform job tasks. Rather, for the...

• Robotic Arm Gives Teen with Muscular Dystrophy A New Lease on Life

  Austin Stelly is only 14-years old, and he has Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The disease is a genetic disorder that over time causes degeneration of the muscles. Austin uses a motorized wheelchair full-time, and it has been his mode of movement for about four years. When Austin was ten years old, he...

• Recently Approved Multiple Sclerosis Drug Shows Promise

  Only 50 years ago, there was no way possible to treat multiple sclerosis. Then, in the mid-1970s, a team of researchers and doctors used chemotherapy for the first time to treat the neurological disease. Since that first treatment, more than 10 new drugs have been developed and approved. Some of...

• What Is Restless Leg Syndrome?

  Restless legs syndrome is a condition that causes an overwhelming sensation that urges you to move your legs. Symptoms are more prevalent during rest and become worse at night. For mild symptoms, treatment isn’t necessary since the illness will naturally pass by within a few days or weeks....

• What Are the Symptoms of a Concussion?

  A concussion refers to a traumatic brain injury that is not very serious. The word has its origin from concutere, the Latin word for ‘violent shaking’. Concussions commonly occur during contact sports, recreation activities, accidents, injuries, and falls. Concussions are very common among...