Neurologists are highly trained medical doctors who work in the very specialized area of the human brain and nervous system. They are, like all specia...
Neurologists are highly trained medical doctors who work in the very specialized area of the human brain and nervous system. They are,
like all specialists, trained in general medicine then spend several years of additional training, residency requirements and fellowships. This additional training allows the doctors to develop all the skills they need to consult with primary care physicians or medical teams in comprehensive types of patient treatment plans. In addition these specialists may also work directly with patients in a variety of different settings.
Two different types of specializations work with the brain and nervous system and these are neurologists and neurosurgeons. The first type of doctor typically does not complete surgical procedures while the latter focuses exclusively on surgery. Since surgical procedures to the brain, spinal cord and the nerves are some of the most complex; this specialization is one of the most intensive in the medical field. Often the doctor works closely with a neurosurgeon when there is trauma, congenital malformations, tumors, brain or nervous system obstructions or other types of structural issues within the system.
The neurologist, like any other specialist, generally only sees patients referred by a primary care physician or other specialist. Since often neurological conditions also have other symptoms and related issues, this specialist may be one of a team of medical health professionals consulting on the diagnosis and treatment plan for the patient. In most cases the primary care physician will consult or refer to the specialist if the symptoms are atypical and there is no clear diagnosis or if the patient is not responding to standard types of treatment for a diagnosed condition.
There are some who focus their practice on different groups of individuals while others focus on specific conditions and diseases of the brain and nervous system. There are pediatric specialists who see children from birth to 18 years of age while there are also those specialists, known as Geriatric Neurology Specialists, which work only with senior citizens or people over a specific age.
Common medical focus areas include the study of Alzheimer's and Dementia, Parkinson's Disease, cancers of the brain and nervous system, infectious diseases, epilepsy, palsy, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, hydrocephalus, meningitis and tumors of the brain or spinal cord. In some cases, particularly with those with a focus in pediatrics, ADHD and ADD may also fall under the neurology specialization.
This type of doctor tends to use non-invasive types of treatments and techniques to diagnose the patient. Electromyography or EMG, MRI, CAT scans and electronystagmography (ENG), PET scans and brain wave tests are common diagnostic tools of these professionals. Ocular pressure, carotid artery scans, nerve conduction velocity and spinal punctures may also be used based on the specific test and diagnostic procedures required. These tests may be ordered prior to or after seeing the specialist.
While not everyone with a neurological type of condition or health issue will have to visit neurologists, working with these specialists does have advantages. They are highly specialized in their field of expertise and are more likely to be aware of the latest treatment options and diagnostic procedures used in complex cases. Your primary care physician will continue to be your doctor, but the added input from the specialist can greatly increase your chances of a full and complete recovery or most effective management of the condition if it cannot be treated.
