DOCTORS Look

Neurologist

Have you had any episodes of headache that recur so often in which you become suspicious that it might be something serious? In some cases, headaches are considered to be a symptom of a more serious neurological problem. Hence, one should seek an opinion from a physician so as to quickly manage diseases before everything is too late.

Definition

Neurology comes from two separate Greek words: "neuron" which means "nerve" and "-logia" which means "study of". This branch of medical science involves diagnosis and treatment of conditions that affect the entire nervous system: the central nervous system, the peripheral nervous system, and the autonomic nervous system.

Physicians who specialize in this field of medical science are called neurologists. These health care professionals underwent a very intensive education and training on the diagnosis, management, and treatment of the disorders and diseases associated with the nervous system.

These medical experts are educated on various neurological tests so as to correctly diagnose the problems of the nervous system. They examine the nerves of the head and neck and the strength and movement of the muscle. Furthermore, neurologists also check for the body's balance, reflexes, ambulation, sensation, language, speech, memory, and cognitive skills.

There are times when diagnostic tests also require the use of certain tools and these are: MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), CAT scan (computed axial tomography scan), EMG (electromyography), and EEG (electroencephalography).

Types of Patients

There are various devastating neurological diseases and disorders that are dealt with by these medical specialists and the most common are the Alzheimer's disease and the Parkinson's disease. Also, there are mental disorders that are being taken care of by the neurologists and these include depression, autism, schizophrenia, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Subspeciality

In order for a medical doctor to become qualified in practicing his chosen specialization in the United States, he or she must undergo the necessary training and education. And then, this person may voluntarily subject him or herself to an examination that is offered by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) and American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).

There are other subspecialties that a neurologist can dedicate himself or herself to after getting a certification on neurology. However, the medical specialist must take both the oral and written examination administered by ABPN in order to get a certification that will enable the practice of these neurology subspecialties. Some of these subspecialties are: epilepsy, addiction psychiatry, pain medicine, psychosomatic medicine, sleep medicine, surgery, forensic psychiatry, child neurology, neuropathology and adolescent psychiatry, etcetera.

Neurologists may work either in a hospital or clinical setting. Some established medical specialists, however, have chosen to open their own private offices and become self-employed.

There are neurologists who are hired to teach in medical schools as professors in the field that they specialize in. Like in all other fields of medical science, there are neurologists who can work in research laboratories and figures show that they tend to earn more compared to those who works in hospitals and clinics.

Neurologist doctors by state:
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
California
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming