What is a neurologist?
Neurologists are doctors trained to diagnose and treat brain and nervous system problems. They do not perform surgery and limit their treatment to prescription medicines and tests. If your primary health care specialist spots any brain or nervous system disease symptoms within you, they might refer you to a neurologist.
Becoming a neurologist requires over ten years of education. Aspiring neurologists must complete a bachelor's degree in a relevant field and follow it with four years of medical school. They must complete one year of internship and three years of special training in neurology. Many neurologists opt for specializations within the field. Popular choices include movement disorders or pain management.
Specialties within neurology
Neurology deals with your brain and the complete nervous system. Specialties within neurology require neurologists to undergo additional training after they finish their residency training to become experts in their respective fields. Popular specialties within neurology include child (pediatric) neurology, interventional neuroradiology, and geriatric neurology. Autonomic neurology and vascular (stroke care) neurology are popular subspecialties too.
A child neurologist or pediatric neurologist is a doctor who treats children with nervous system problems. They treat children from birth into young adulthood. In contrast, a senior neurologist is well-versed in the prospective issues affecting an elder's nervous system. They specialize in diagnosing, treating, and caring for those neurological conditions.
Interventional neuroradiology caters to diagnosing and treating neurological conditions and diseases using catheters and radiology. The autonomic nervous system governs the body's involuntary functions, including digestion, heart rate, blood pressure, perspiration, and sexual response. Autonomic neurologists treat people with issues related to the autonomic nervous system. Lastly, vascular neurology evaluates, treats, and studies diseases that affect the structure and function of the blood vessels supplying the brain.
Other typical specialties in demand are headache medicine, sleep medicine, neuromuscular medicine, and neuro-oncology.
What common conditions do neurologists treat?
Neurologists treat and manage various brain, spinal cord, and nervous system conditions. Neurological problems can affect any part of the body and individuals at any age. Some common diseases treated by neurologists include:
- Alzheimer's disease: It is an irreversible brain condition that causes a progressive decline in an individual's thinking, memory, learning, and organizing abilities. It typically starts at the age of 60 and slowly worsens over time. While there isn't any cure for Alzheimer's, a neurologist may prescribe medication to slow the progression of symptoms. It is the most prevalent form of dementia.
- Epilepsy: This condition is a chronic brain condition, causing recurrent seizures due to abnormal electrical signals produced by damaged brain cells. This disease can change a person's muscle movements, behavior, and sensations. Common causes include genetics, brain disorders, head injuries, and developmental disorders. Treatment of epilepsy depends on the type of seizure experienced. A neurologist will conduct tests such as Electroencephalography (EEG) to diagnose epilepsy. Most patients can become seizure-free in a few years with the proper treatment.
- Parkinson's Disease (PD): An age-related degenerative brain disorder, Parkinson's disease causes certain parts of the brain to deteriorate over time. It leads to slow movements, tremors, trouble swallowing, unstable posture or walking gait, and poor balance and coordination. While Parkinson's is commonly seen in older adults aged 60 or above, it can also occur at a younger age. Genetic factors generally cause it, with no cure as of date. However, a neurologist may prescribe medication or perform surgery to manage symptoms and improve a patient's overall quality of life.
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS): This condition is an autoimmune disease wherein a person's immune system attacks the protective sheath called "myelin," which covers nerve fibers. It ultimately leads to communication problems between the brain and the body. MS, more often diagnosed in women than men, can be potentially disabling. Patients with severe MS can lose their ability to walk. The symptoms of this disease vary significantly in different patients, depending on the location of the nerve fibers affected. Some symptoms include numbness in one or more limbs, tingling, lack of coordination, and cognitive issues.
What kinds of tests does a neurologist order?
A neurologist orders various types of tests to diagnose and evaluate neurological conditions. These tests include:
- Angiography reveals blockages, damage, or abnormalities in blood vessels within the brain, head, or neck and helps detect aneurysms and blood clots.
- A biopsy involves removing tissue samples from muscles, nerves, or the brain, which aids in the diagnosis.
- The cerebrospinal fluid analysis examines the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord to detect brain bleeds, infections, multiple sclerosis, and metabolic diseases.
- Varied imaging techniques like Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT), X-rays, and ultrasound enable clinicians to obtain comprehensive diagnostic images.
- Electroencephalography (EEG) measures the brain's electrical activity and aids in diagnosing seizures, infections, brain injuries, and tumors.
- Electromyography (EMG) is a diagnostic technique that captures the electrical activity in muscles. It enables the identification of spinal nerve root compression, nerve and muscle disorders, and motor neuron disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
- Electronystagmography (ENG) is a series of tests that help diagnose involuntary eye movement, dizziness, and balance disorders.
- Evoked potentials measure the speed and completion of electrical signals from eyes, ears, or skin to the brain, helping diagnose conditions like multiple sclerosis, acoustic neuroma, and spinal cord injuries.
- Myelography is a valuable test in diagnosing spinal and spinal cord tumors, herniated disks, and fractures.
- A polysomnogram assists in diagnosing sleep disorders by measuring brain and body activity during sleep.
- Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is an imaging test that helps reveal tumors and assess epilepsy, brain tumors, dementia, and Alzheimer's.
- Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a diagnostic imaging procedure for identifying tumors and infections. It also helps evaluate the precise location of seizures, degenerative spine conditions, and stress fractures.
- Thermography measures temperature changes in the body or specific organs to evaluate pain syndromes, peripheral nerve disorders, and nerve root compression.
By utilizing these various tests, a neurologist can gain valuable insights into a patient's neurological health and provide appropriate treatment and care.
Preparing for your neurology appointment
The first and most crucial step is to book an appointment with the best neurologist near you. To maximize your visit, note your symptoms and complaints pre-appointment. If you underwent tests and body assessment, carry the results to show them to your physical therapist. Doing so will help the neurologist better understand your condition. Your neurologist will also require your current or previous medicine prescriptions. List all prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and supplements to share with your doctor. You can also contact your family and note any related genetic or hereditary medical conditions. Your neurologist can use all this information to diagnose the underlying cause of your problem and recommend an appropriate complementary or new treatment plan.
How will your first neurologist appointment be?
During your first visit to a neurologist, your doctor will discuss your symptoms, inquire about your medical history, and try to understand your lifestyle. Your neurologist might ask for your previous tests, like an X-ray, to understand your case's history. Your neurologist might check your mental status, speech, coordination, reflexes, vision, and sensation. They may also conduct a detailed physical exam focusing on your brain and nerves. Based on the results, they may or may not prescribe further tests for you. Some conditions need imaging, like a CT scan or an MRI, for detailed views of the affected area. They might also want to learn more about your family's medical history to look for genetic or inherited diseases and conditions.
After diagnosing your condition, your neurologist will prescribe medicines to reduce the symptoms. Your neurologist may refer you to a neurosurgeon if your case requires surgical intervention. The duration of your neurology treatment plan depends on the severity and complexity of your nervous system or brain problem. If needed, your neurologist will prepare a detailed follow-up plan and schedule for your case.
Questions you must ask your neurologist during your visit
Getting a neurological diagnosis and starting a new treatment plan can be an overwhelming experience. However, if you understand your situation better, you can feel more confident about recovering and achieving a good quality of life. The best way to do that is by discussing it with your neurologist. So, take a more proactive role in your health by asking the following questions during your appointment:
Questions about your diagnosis
- Can you explain my condition in detail?
- What do my diagnostic results mean?
- What are the causes of my condition?
- How will my condition affect my everyday life?
- Is my condition curable, or do I have to manage it lifelong?
Questions about your treatment
- What are my available treatment options?
- What are the benefits, risks, and side effects of the recommended treatment?
- Do I need to make any lifestyle or diet changes while my treatment is ongoing?
- Should I adopt any other home care strategies to support recovery?
- Do I need to follow any restrictions?
- Can I consider any alternative therapies?
- When should I seek emergency care? Should I be aware of any warning signs?
- How long will it take before I see positive results?
- How often should I visit for follow-up appointments?
- Will medications resolve my condition, or will I need surgery in the future?
Finding the best neurologist near you in Teaneck, NJ
The brain and nervous system are your body's most vital components. It is essential to treat any abnormality related to them. Zocdoc can assist you by finding the best neurologist in the Teaneck, New Jersey, area. All you need to do is enter your location and preferred appointment date. You can further filter specialists based on gender, hospital affiliations, and whether they treat children.
Every neurologist profile on Zocdoc includes the doctor's educational qualifications, board certifications, clinical interests, specializations, practice history, certifications, and spoken languages. It also has verified patient reviews to help you make an informed decision.
Besides finding the best neurologists for your case, Zocdoc helps make your insurance matching process hassle-free by letting you filter neurologists according to those who accept your plan. Add your insurance carrier's name to the search query to utilize this feature. If you need clarification on your insurance plan, Zocdoc's insurance detector can help you. You can also use Zocdoc's insurance card capture feature to submit your medical insurance information before making an appointment.
Even if you do not have insurance coverage, you can continue looking for providers. In the insurance drop-down menu, select "I'm paying for myself." Once you acknowledge that you are responsible for bearing all healthcare costs, you will receive an extensive list of providers offering consultations to patients without insurance. You can follow the same steps if you have a health plan but do not want to use it to book appointments. For more insurance-related queries, visit the patient help center page.
Zocdoc also helps you instantly book an appointment for your first session. To do this, you must click the book appointment option to book a virtual or an in-person visit with a neurologist near you. Look for the purple video icon on your doctor's profile for video appointments, or filter the selection.
All bookings with Zocdoc are entirely free, fast, and secure.
Stroke statistics from New Jersey
As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, stroke is New Jersey's fifth leading cause of death. The state ranks 17th in stroke mortality. Surveys conducted yearly between 2015 and 2022 suggest a consistent ranking based on stroke mortality in New Jersey, with the lowest mortality rate in 2018 and the highest in 2020. As per data for 2020, the stroke mortality rate in New Jersey stood at 31.8 per 100,000 total population. The number of deaths in the state stood at over 3,725. In 2019, New Jersey had a stroke mortality rate of about 29.8 per 100,000, with around 3,444 deaths in the state.
As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, over 3% of New Jersey adults suffered from a stroke in 2019. In contrast, about 3.4% of the United States population reported being told by a healthcare professional that they had a stroke. The difference between the two populations stood at 0.4%. Corresponding figures for both populations in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 showed a similar gap.
Sources
WebMD[1]
WebMD[2]
HealthyChildren.org
Mayo Clinic
Centers For Disease Control And Prevention[1]
Centers For Disease Control And Prevention[2]
Healthline
Johns Hopkins Medicine
Cleveland Clinic[1]
Cleveland Clinic[2]
Cleveland Clinic[3]
Cleveland Clinic[4]
Mayo Clinic[1]
Mayo Clinic[2]
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Hudson MD Group
