- Brain trauma is one of the most frequent diagnosis's for patients visiting hospitals and clinics and can range from minor injuries such as a mild concussion to fatal injuries, such as stroke. According to the National Stroke Association, a stroke or "brain attack" happens when a blood clot blocks an artery or a blood vessel breaks, interrupting blood flow to the brain. When either of these things happen, brain cells begin to die and brain damage occurs, disrupting a person's speech, movement and memory. Stroke is the third-leading cause of death in America and a chief cause of disability, according to the National Stroke Association.
Neurologists work with patients by prescribing medications that can reestablish blood flow to the brain by dissolving blood clots and performing surgery if needed to help stroke victims return to a more normal life. Neurologists do similar diagnosis and treatments for sufferers of migraines---chronic headaches that can cause significant pain for hours or even days; people experiencing dementia and memory loss as they age; patients with brain aneurysms, a bulge or ballooning in a blood vessel; and people suffering from epilepsy, a condition that produces seizures and affects mental and physical functions. - Most people will experience some form of back pain in their lifetime and the condition is one of the most common reasons people go to the doctor or miss work according to the Mayo Clinic. While surgery is rarely needed to treat back pain, a referral to a neurologist is common practice since back pain can be the result of a herniated disc or pinched nerve. A neurologist can order an MRI, bone scan or nerve study to determine the extent of the injury, and diagnose and treat more serious ailments, such as spondylosis, a degenerative osteoarthritis of the joints between the spinal vertebrae. Neurologists work with patients of automobile accidents and other physical trauma to sustain a life as mobile and pain free as possible.
- Nerve pain and nerve damage can be mild, but because nerves control most of a person's body, it can also seriously affect a person's quality of life. Symptoms of nerve damage include bladder dysfunction, weakness, twitching, paralysis, sensitivity and tingling. Neurologists work with the more than 20 million Americans afflicted with peripheral nerve damage to reduce the likelihood of permanent damage, which can be caused from physical trauma or other illness, such as cancer or diabetes.
- Neurologists are called in when a patient experiences muscle disorders, such as overuse due to sprains, cramps or tendinitis, cancer, infection, inflammation and genetic diseases, such as muscular dystrophy. According to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, there are nine types of muscular dystrophy, a group of genetic, degenerative diseases primarily affecting voluntary muscles.
- This is an exciting time to be a part of neurology, according to the University of Massachusetts Medical School. New technologies in neurobiology and clinical neurosciences have improved the medical community's understanding of neurological illnesses. Prospects for effective new treatments have never been better.
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