neurologist

Of the neurologist is active in internal medicine and mainly deals with diseases of the nervous system. The medical field of psychiatry is closely connected.

What is a neurologist?

A neurologist diagnoses and treats malfunctions and diseases of the nervous system. These include the brain, bone marrow and peripheral nervous system as well as supplying blood vessels and important tissue structures.

Another field includes symptoms and malfunctions on which mental disorders are based. This can be, for example, paralysis, sensory disorders, pain or sleep disorders. The field of psychiatry is therefore closely connected, since mental illnesses are associated with some neurological disorders.

Sub-areas of neurology are neurophysiology, which deals with the nervous system and its functioning, and neuropathology. This is primarily concerned with pathological organic changes in the nervous system and is the theoretical basis for neurology. Neurosurgery includes operations in the central and peripheral nervous system.

A successful medical degree with a license to practice medicine is the basis for specialist training as a neurologist. This must be completed in a corresponding specialist department for neurology and psychiatry. Finally, there is a specialist examination to become a neurologist.

Treatments

Since the nervous system is a very extensive area, the clinical pictures are also very diverse. Only a few examples can therefore be given below.

A neurologist is primarily a specialist in all diseases that affect the brain, spinal cord and nervous system. These diseases can be caused by inflammation, genetic defects, injuries, tumors or metabolic disorders. Inflammatory diseases can include meningitis, multiple sclerosis or shingles.

A neurologist is also called in after accidents with serious injuries such as traumatic brain injury or injuries to the spine. Furthermore, care by a neurologist is often advisable after strokes, diseases such as BSE, epilepsy and narcolepsy, as well as some tumor diseases that affect the nervous system.

Addiction disorders such as alcoholism or drug abuse should also be monitored by a neurologist, as withdrawal can lead to epileptic seizures.

Painful diseases such as carpal tunnel syndrome, symptoms of paralysis or a herniated disc are sometimes treated by neurologists. In most cases, in addition to diagnostics, the drug setting and monitoring by a neurologist is in the foreground.

Diagnosis & examination methods

Like every specialist also seeks a neurologist first the conversation with the patient. He takes an anamnesis and then initiates examinations according to the symptoms. After the physical examination, blood or tissue samples may be just as necessary as diagnostics with special devices.

Typical neurological devices are the EEG (brain wave measurement), EMG (testing the functionality of the muscles) and the NLG (measuring the conduction velocity of certain nerves). MRT and CT are also used for more precise diagnostics, especially in the case of injuries, strokes, tumors and inflammatory processes.

In addition to these common devices, a neurologist also uses devices that measure brain performance or provide information about the functionality of the visual, auditory and equilibrium nerves. Some clinical pictures are clarified more precisely using ultrasound and color duplex.

The neurologist cannot always make a diagnosis on his own. In many cases, a multidisciplinary team from different specialist areas is necessary to help the patient in the best possible way.

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What should the patient pay attention to?

Also at Neurologist a trusting relationship between doctor and patient is necessary. If the patient does not feel well or is misunderstood, this can significantly impair the healing process. The neurologist should therefore be chosen carefully and, if necessary, changed if the relationship is not right.

The family doctor can usually be helpful in finding a suitable neurologist, as he already knows the medical history and often knows with which neurologist the patient is best looked after. When choosing, the clinical picture should be in the foreground, as neurologists have different specializations. The health insurance company can also be a point of contact here.

In some cases a second opinion is important, especially when there are uncertainties. The practice equipment or the cooperation with clinics can, depending on the clinical picture, be a decisive criterion in order to save unnecessary trips and valuable time.