A neurologist is a medical professional who specializes in diagnosing and treating conditions that affect the nervous system and the brain. If you have unexplained symptoms that might be related to the nervous system or brain, your doctor may recommend that you see a neurologist.
What conditions do neurologists treat?
Neurologists such as neurologists Fredrick MD treat a wide range of conditions that affect the brain, nerves, and spinal cord. These conditions include:
- Epilepsy
- Stroke
- Headaches and migraines
- Sleep disorders
- Vertigo
- Impaired consciousness and memory disorders
- Epilepsy
- Back pain
- Brain tumors
- Brain aneurysms
- Cerebral hemorrhages
- Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease
- Infections of the nerve systems, such as meningitis, encephalitis, etc.
Reasons to see a neurologist
Here are some of the reasons which should prompt you to see a neurologist as soon as you can.
- You have neuropathic pain
Neuropathic pain is pain that occurs when your nerves are damaged due to a disease or injury. Diabetes may cause this type of nerve damage. Neuropathic pain is usually sharp, shooting or burning. You may also have neuropathic pain as a result of damage to your spinal cord or brain. This pain can occur after a stroke.
Neuropathy pain can take many forms, including:
- Difficulty balancing
- Chronic pain
- Burning sensations
- Poor coordination
- Paralysis
- Numbness, weakness, or tingling of the part of the body that is affected
Neuropathy pain won’t improve with common pain medicine. That’s why you need to see a neurologist as soon as you can to help you find the best treatment.
- You get frequent migraines
Migraine is a common type of headache that affects many people. According to the American Migraine Foundation, more than 37 million people in the U.S are affected by migraines. Frequent and severe migraines should make you see a neurologist. Migraines can happen more often and last from hours to days. Symptoms of migraines include:
- Headache that worsens with physical activity
- Headache on one side or both sides of the head
- Pain that is throbbing or pulsing
- Light sensitivity
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Sensitivity to sounds
- Sensitivity to smells
Unfortunately, many people with migraines never get the right diagnosis and treatment. A neurologist can help you identify what triggers your migraines and find out how you can avoid them. Usually, food and stress are the most common triggers. Additionally, the neurologist can prescribe medicine to relieve migraine or stop it when it starts.
- You have a brain or spinal injury
Falls, sports injuries, and car accidents can harm your brain or spinal cord. Symptoms of a spinal cord injury depend on what was injured and the level of damage. Brain injuries can cause dizziness, headaches, seizures, and loss of consciousness. They can result in changes in your behavior, memory, and even thinking. Spinal injuries, on the other hand, can cause numbness and weakness. You may also lose movement below the area of the injury. Seeing a neurologist can be helpful because he or she will come up with a treatment plan for your unique situation and coordinate your care. Of course, this will include medications, mental health therapy, and physical therapy.
- You have had a stroke
If you recently had a stroke, then you need to see a neurologist as soon as possible. A stroke occurs when the blood isn’t supplied to the brain. The cause could be bleeding in the brain or a blocked blood vessel. The brain cells start to die without their blood supply.
A neurologist can diagnose and treat a stroke as it happens. Diagnosing a stroke involves getting images of the brain. Treatment includes medications to dissolve blood clots if the stroke was caused by a blocked blood vessel. Additionally, a neurologist will work with you on rehabilitation after a stroke. Symptoms of a stroke include:
- Numbness on one side of the body
- Weakness, usually on one side of the body
- Loss of vision
- Clumsiness or loss of balance
- Loss of vision
- You have multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis [MS] is a lifelong disorder of the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms of multiple sclerosis may include weakness, changes in vision, tingling sensations, and numbness, some of these symptoms may come and go, but they improve with time. To make a diagnosis, the neurologist will check the results of an exam and imaging studies of your spinal cord and brain. Certain medications can help manage or slow down multiple sclerosis attacks. In addition to that, a neurologist can work with you to find the correct treatment plan.
- You have Parkinson’s disease
This disease involves the loss of brain cells that produce the brain chemical known as dopamine. This chemical is essential for normal body movements. Parkinson’s disease is common in older people- those who are over 60 years old.
Some of Parkinson’s symptoms include clumsiness, trembling movements, and stiff or slow movement. It is worth mentioning that there are no tests for this kind of disease. However, a neurologist can diagnose it after a thorough exam. The neurologist will then help you find the best medication that suits you.
- You have seizures
If you have seizures but haven’t been diagnosed with a seizure disorder such as epilepsy, then you need to see a neurologist as soon as you can. Although there are several types of epilepsy present during infancy and childhood, adults may also get adult-onset epilepsy. Additionally, a seizure can also be a symptom of another condition like a brain tumor or meningitis. That’s why seeing a neurologist is critical in helping identify the cause of your seizures. The neurologist will then look for the best treatment plan for you.
- You feel dizzy more often
Dizziness is a feeling that the world is spinning around you. Or it may seem like you are spinning around the world. Dizziness can be life-altering because it can keep you from doing your daily tasks, such as going to work or taking care of your family.
While dizziness can get better with time, you must see a neurologist Fredrick MD to help diagnose the underlying condition. Most of the causes of dizziness aren’t life-threatening, but they share symptoms with severe conditions such as stroke.
- You are having serious memory issues
While forgetfulness is common as people age, but severe problems with memory and thinking are not. This is particularly true if these issues affect your daily life. Changes in your brain might cause them. These changes usually start gradually but worsen with time. These changes cause a condition known as dementia.
The neurologist will determine if you have dementia or if there is something else causing your symptoms. He or she will do a comprehensive neurological exam. You will do brain scans as well as various tests of memory and thinking. If you have dementia, the neurologist can prescribe drugs that can slow down the disease or help ease symptoms such as restlessness or anxiety.
Conclusion
There you have it- some of the top reasons why you should see a neurologist as soon as you can. Seeing a neurologist early can prevent your situation from getting worse. These medical professionals have the necessary education and training to help them perform various procedures that can help them to diagnose and treat neurological conditions. But if you require surgery, the neurologist will refer you to a neurosurgeon since they don’t perform surgeries.
