Damage to the nervous system is (perhaps) the most dangerous of all the body’s systems. While the nerve system’s inner workings are complex and convoluted, neurologists have dedicated their lives to learning about them.
Neurologist in Islamabad
treatment, and management of nervous system injuries, diseases, and disorders. The nervous system contains two parts brain and the spinal cord. Nervous system illnesses, diseases, and injuries frequently necessitate the care of a neurologist.
Education of a Neurologist
An undergraduate degree, four years of medical school, a one-year internship, and at least three years of specialized study are all required of a neurologist. Because the nervous system is so intricate, neurologists frequently pursue extra training in a specialization.
Subspecialties of Neurologists
When a neurologist decides to specialize, he or she must first complete a fellowship in that field. Among the most common specialties are:
- Headache medicine
- Neuromuscular medicine
- Neurocritical care
- Neuro-oncology
- Geriatric neurology
- Autonomic disorders
- Vascular (stroke) care
- Child neurology
- Intervention neuroradiology
- Epilepsy
What Do Neurologists Do?
When a patient has a neurologic disease that necessitates frequent care, neurologists are the primary care providers. In the event of a stroke, concussion, or headache, neurologists frequently serve as consultants to primary care physicians. Although neurologists do not do surgery, they may refer patients who need it to a neurosurgeon or spine surgeon. A neurologist may continue to evaluate and supervise treatment after surgery.
Conditions that Neurologists Treat
Following are the most common neurological conditions treated by neurologists in Islamabad:
Disorders
- Epilepsy: A neurological disorder associated with abnormal electrical activity in the brain, causing recurrent, unprovoked seizures and loss of consciousness.
- Alzheimer’s disease (and other dementias): Progressive mental deterioration that occurs by generalized degeneration of the brain.
- Migraine (and other headache disorders): A severe, reoccurring headache often paired with nausea and disturbed vision.
- Multiple Sclerosis: A chronic disease involving damage to nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord characterized by numbness, speech and muscular impairment, blurred vision, and severe fatigue.
- Parkinson’s disease: A progressive disease marked by tremor, muscular rigidity, and slow, imprecise movement. It relates to degeneration of the basal ganglia of the brain and dopamine deficiency.
- Brain tumors: A mass of abnormal cells in the brain, leading to impaired cognitive function.
- Brain trauma (and other injuries of the nervous system): Injury to the brain from an outside force, sometimes leading to an altered state of consciousness, and permanent or temporary impairment of cognitive, physical, or psychosocial functions.
- Tourette’s Syndrome (and other disorders of function): A neurological disorder, coupled with involuntary tics and vocalizations, as well as the compulsive exclamation of obscenities.
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig’s Disease): A progressive deterioration of the motor neurons of the central nervous system, leading to muscular atrophy and paralysis.
Diseases Treated by Neurologists
A Neurologist will treat diseases that attack the nervous system, such as:
Infections (bacterial, viral, fungal)
Cancers (malignant, benign,)
Neurological diseases and disorders are common, and the risk of developing one increases with age. Neurologic disorders, such as injury of the nervous system, are also a common occurrence. Research shows that as many as 60 million people worldwide may suffer a traumatic brain injury each year. It is important to know the signs of neurological diseases and disorders, as they are serious and may be life-threatening when left untreated.
Symptoms
Your primary care physician may refer you to a neurologist if you are experiencing one or more of the following symptoms:
- Headaches
- Chronic pain
- Dizziness
- Numbness or tingling
- Weakness
- Movement problems
- Seizures or loss of consciousness
- Vision problems
- Memory problems or confusion
- Sleep problems
- Speech or language difficulties
People who are having problems with their senses such as vision, smell, or touch, may also need to visit a Neurologist, as sensory dysfunction is sometimes caused by disorders of the nervous system.
Procedures
If your primary care physician refers you to a Neurologist, here’s what you can expect. During your first appointment, a Neurologist will likely ask you to participate in a physical exam and neurological exam. Neurological exams are tests that measure muscle strength, sensation, reflexes, and coordination.
Neurological testing
Common types of neurological testing include:
Lumbar puncture: A neurologist will only recommend this if they believe that the cause of your symptoms is in your spinal fluid. In this procedure, the area is numbed and sterilized. A needle is then inserted into the lower spine to withdraw a sample of spinal fluid.
Other common testing includes CT, MRI, and PET scanning. Other diagnostic procedures include sleep studies and angiography (identifying blockages in blood vessels).
Test Carried Out by Neurologists
Electromyography (EMG)
An EMG measures electrical activity between your brain or spinal cord to a peripheral nerve. This nerve is found in your arms and legs and is responsible for muscle control during times of movement and rest.
EMGs can help your neurologist diagnose spinal cord disease as well as general muscle or nerve dysfunction. During this test, your neurologist-technician inserts small electrodes into your muscles to help measure activity during periods of movement and rest. Such activity is recorded by a machine attached to the electrodes with a series of wires, which may be somewhat uncomfortable.
Oftentimes, a neurologist will order a nerve conduction velocity (NCV) study in conjunction with an EMG. While an EMG measures muscle activity, an NCV assesses the ability of your nerves to send the necessary signals that control these muscles. If your neurologist recommends both tests, you’ll likely do the EMG first.
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
With electrodes applied to your scalp, an EEG measures electrical activity in the brain. It’s used to help diagnose conditions of the brain, including inflammation, tumors, and injuries, as well as seizures and psychiatric disorders.
Unlike an EMG, an EEG doesn’t usually cause any discomfort. Before the test, a technician places electrodes around the scalp that look like small cups. As small changes in the brain are measured through the electrodes, the technician will create changes in the environment to measure brain signals, such as different lighting or noises.
