Neurologist Treatment

Neurologists are doctors who specialize in central and peripheral nervous system issues. The areas of the body this covers are the brain, the spinal cord, all peripheral nerves and the effect they have on muscular control. A person may seek neurologist treatment for conditions such as migraine headaches and pinched nerves, or for brain abnormalities, tumors or stroke.

Brain Treatment

• A neurologist will use an MRI or CT scan to exam the brain along with taking your medical history and discussing your symptoms. Cognitive tests may be administered to help the neurologist diagnose what area of the brain may be impaired and why. A minor stroke to the temporal lobe may affect your ability to speak or your memory. An MRI will show the lesion while the medical history and results of a cognitive test will help the neurologist find a therapy treatment for your specific malady. If diagnostics show that a tumor exists, surgery may be required to remove the tumor. This would be followed by therapy to help the brain adapt and regain as much functionality as possible.

Nervous System Treatment

• The brain is not the only part of the body that thinks. The peripheral nervous system functions as an extended component of the brain, sending information up to be processed and back to spur reactions. However, it is also responsible for its own set of reflexes, which happen faster than the ability of the axons to carry information to the brain and back. Axons are a nerve fiber that sends electrical impulses to other nerve cells.

  Neurologists work with occupational and physical therapists to help the body relearn activities lost through traumatic events. This may include learning to stand or walk again. A patient may need support in learning to feed, dress and care for themselves again.

  Neurologists diagnose and develop treatment plans for back issues such as herniated and bulging disks or pinched nerves. The role of the neurologist in this capacity is to diagnose the problem, then create and oversee a therapy plan that deals with the challenges these conditions make to the sufferer's quality of life.

Treatment Options

• Because there is such a wide range of problems the neurologist may diagnose, there are a wide range of treatment options available to them. For someone who is suffering from migraine headaches, the underlying problem may be something as simple as spinal compression that can be alleviated with inversion table therapy or other stretching exercises.

  For issues that require relearning skills, the neurologist will work with speech therapists, hearing specialists, occupational therapists and physical therapists as well as consult with a variety of other doctors with specialties, orthopedic surgeons for instance.

  Very serious conditions that may require surgery include removing tumors, effecting spinal realignment or alleviating pressure on nerves. Neurologists will work with specialized surgeons on these maladies.