Neurologists specialize in diseases and disorders of the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, nerves and corresponding blood vessels.
You might be seen by a neurologist if you experience dizziness, numbness, muscle weakness, confusion or coordination problems. Children with congenital diseases that affect the neurological system, such as muscular dystrophy, are also placed under the care of a neurologist. A person suffering from a traumatic brain injury would also need a neurologist.
Neurological diseases and disorders
Common diseases and disorders that require a neurologist’s care include:
- Seizures, due to epilepsy or as a result of brain injury or surgery
- Stroke
- Multiple sclerosis
- Degenerative disorders of the nervous system (i.e. Lou Gehrig’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease)
- Neuromuscular disorders (i.e. muscular dystrophy)
- Infections of the nervous system (i.e. encephalitis, meningitis)
- Spinal cord disorders
- Peripheral nerve disease
- Headaches and migraines
The most common disorders treated by neurologists include Alzheimer’s disease, dementia disorders, headache and migraine.
Because of the expansiveness of the field, many neurologists sub-specialize in a particular aspect of neurology, such as epilepsy, geriatric neurology, pediatric neurology, neurological rehabilitation or headache medicine.
Neurologists mostly work in hospitals or other multi-speciality clinical settings and are often called in to consult on cases where a disease (such as diabetes) or injury (such as a brain injury during a car accident) requires their expertise.