A neurologist is a specialist in brain and nervous system disorders and may be quite helpful to a patient having problems in these areas. It is quite common for an orthopedic doctor to refer you to a neurologist whenever tests and diagnoses point to a problem related to your brain, nerves, or the spinal cord. It is only a neurologist who can perform surgical operations of the head and spinal cord.
As a medical specialist who undergoes the longest training period in the United States, a neurologist is well versed in all the body systems and the way they are interrelated through the nervous system. He or she is therefore most qualified to assist you in the many ailments and injuries that are related to the head and the nervous system. Neurologists or neurosurgeons mainly deal with the treatment of injuries, removal of pathological growths as well as device implants that assist the body in performing functions properly. Some patients may find the use of imaging techniques employed by neurologists beneficial. Such techniques that are quite accurate in diagnoses and treatment include Computed Tomography or CT scans and Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI among others. These techniques are very helpful during surgery as well as in diagnosis.
Neurologists are indispensably necessary when an orthopedic doctor recommends surgery to treat a spine problem. Such problems include disc herniation, spinal cord trauma, and tumors to name a few. The neurologist may sometimes be the only option to treat brain complications like tumors, head trauma, and cerebral aneurysms among a host of other head complications.
A neurologist can be very helpful when dealing with head and nerves problems for people of different ages. For children one may benefit most through the consultation with a Child Neurologist who has specialized in treating young children while a Geriatric Neurologist is well trained in treating aged patients. However any initial consultation with a neurologist would be best to help direct you to specialists in the areas of dementia, epilepsy, Parkinson