The Nervous Breakdown is hosted by Dr. Estrada Bernard, a board-certified neurosurgeon, and Dr. Christopher Gay, a board-certified anesthesiologist and pain specialist. Together, they break down spine, brain, and nerve conditions in clear, simple language—offering expert advice from both surgical and non-surgical perspectives.
When it comes to understanding conditions that affect the spine, brain, and pain, The Nervous Breakdown is led by two of the most qualified voices in the field.
Neurosurgeons undergo 7+ years of intensive training after medical school, focusing exclusively on the brain, spine, and nervous system. They are experts in diagnosing and surgically treating everything from herniated discs and spinal stenosis to brain tumors and nerve injuries.
Anesthesiologists must have a working knowledge of all body systems and diseases to prepare adequately for medical issues that may affect the body during surgery. Anesthesiologists with additional board certification in pain medicine complete rigorous fellowship training after their anesthesia residency, mastering interventional procedures and advanced medical management of chronic pain. They are experts in targeting pain at its source—especially pain involving the spine and nerves—using both cutting-edge technology and evidence-based care.
Together, these specialties bring a 360-degree view of the body’s most complex systems—offering both surgical and non-surgical perspectives. That’s what makes The Nervous Breakdown podcast so unique: two top-tier specialists breaking it all down in plain language, so you can understand what’s happening inside your body—and what to do about it.
In the U.S., out of roughly 1 million board-certified physicians, only about 6,300 are neurosurgeons and 4,000 are anesthesiologists certified in pain medicine. That’s less than 1% in each group—making these specialists exceptionally rare.
Having both perspectives in one conversation is even rarer. The Nervous Breakdown gives you direct access to the kind of insight most people never get outside a specialist’s office.
The Nervous Breakdown
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.