Neuro Physician

Neurologist

A Neuro Physician or Neurologist is a medical doctor who diagnoses, treats and manages disorders of the brain and nervous system (brain, spinal cord and nerves). A neurologist knows the anatomy, function and conditions that affect your nerves and nervous system. Your nervous system is your body’s command center. It controls everything you think, feel and do — from moving your arm to the beating of your heart.

Pediatric Neurologist
A pediatric neurologist is a medical doctor who diagnoses, treats and manages disorders of the brain and nervous system in children — from newborn to adolescent. Many of the conditions they treat are the same as those seen in adults, in addition to inherited and developmental conditions.

What diseases and conditions does a neurologist treat?
Some of the most common neurologic disorders a neurologist may treat include:

• Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also called ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease).
• Brain injury, spinal cord injury or vascular malformations.
• Cerebral aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations.
• Cerebral palsy and spasticity.
• Concussion.
• Encephalitis.
• Epilepsy.                                                                                                                       
• Facial pain syndromes.
• Headache/migraine.
• Hydrocephalus.
• Meningitis.
• Mental and behavioral health disorders.
• Multiple sclerosis.
• Myasthenia gravis and myopathies.
• Pain in your neck, back and spine.
• Parkinson’s disease.
• Peripheral neuropathy.
• Sleep disorders.
• Stroke.
• Tremor, dystonia.
• Tumors of the brain, spine and nerves.

How do Neurologists diagnose conditions?
Your neurologist will ask about your medical history, family history, medication history and any current symptoms. They’ll also conduct a neurologic examination, including tests of your:

• Coordination, balance, reflexes and gait.
• Muscle strength.
• Mental health.
• Vision, hearing and speech.
• Sensation.

Your neurologist may also order blood, urine or other fluid tests in order to help understand condition severity or check on medication levels. Genetic testing may be ordered to identify inherited disorders. Imaging studies of your nervous system might also be ordered to aid in diagnosis.

Neurologists treat people with medications, physical therapy or other approaches.

What types of tests does a neurologist order?
Common neurologic tests include:

• Angiography. Angiography can show if blood vessels in your brain, head or neck are blocked, damaged or abnormal. It can detect such things as aneurysms and blood clots.
• Biopsy. A biopsy is the removal of a piece of tissue from your body. Biopsies may be taken of muscle, nerve or brain tissue.
• Cerebrospinal fluid analysis. This test involves the removal of a sample of the fluid that surrounds your brain and spinal cord. The test can detect evidence of a brain bleed, infection, multiple sclerosis and metabolic diseases.
• Computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-raysandultrasound.
• Electroencephalography (EEG). This test measures your brain’s electrical activity and is used to help diagnose seizures and infections (such as encephalitis) brain injury and tumors.
• Electromyography (EMG). This test records the electrical activity in muscles and is used to diagnose nerve and muscle disorders, spinal nerve root compression and motor neuron disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
• Electronystagmography (ENG). This group of tests is used to diagnose involuntary eye movement, dizziness and balance disorders.
• Evoked potentials. This test measures how quickly and completely electrical signals reach your brain from your eyes, ears or touch to your skin. The test can help diagnose multiple sclerosis, acoustic neuroma and spinal cord injury.
• Myelography. This test helps diagnose spinal and spinal cord tumors and herniated disks and fractures.
• Polysomnogram. This test measures brain and body activity during sleep and helps diagnose sleep disorders.
• Positron emission tomography (PET). This imaging test can show tumors or be used to evaluate epilepsy, brain tumors, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
• Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). This imaging test can diagnose tumors, infections and assess the location of seizures, degenerative spine disease and stress fractures.
• Thermography. This test measures temperature changes within your body or specific organs and is used to evaluate pain syndromes, peripheral nerve disorders and nerve root compression.