What is NEUROLOGY 

Neurology is the medical speciality field concerned with the study, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of disorders related to the nervous system. The nervous system in our body is categorised into two parts:

Central Nervous System: It consists of the brain and the spinal cord.

Peripheral Nervous System: This consists of the nerves that have roots in the spinal cord and extend to other body parts. 

Doctors who are specially trained to treat disorders of the nervous system are called Neurologists. Neurologists can practise both medicine and surgery. The doctors who perform surgeries related to neurology are called neurosurgeons. 

Common Neurological Disorders: 

• Acute Spinal Cord Injury: Minor injuries caused in the spinal cord due to accidents are part of ASCI. These injuries usually go away with general medication. But in some cases, minor injuries may also require minor surgeries for permanent relief. 
  
  
• Epilepsy and Seizures: Epilepsy is a disorder in which the nerve activity in the brain becomes disturbed, causing seizures. Epilepsy can be inherited through genes or acquired after birth or at later stages in life. 
  
  
• Alzheimer's Disease: Alzheimer’s Disease is a progressive disease that is diagnosed when memory is erased or destroyed from the mind. This disease is very common among people of old age, and it worsens as age progresses. 
  
  
• Cerebral Aneurysm: When a blood vessel in the brain weakens and gets filled up with blood, the condition of Cerebral Aneurysm is diagnosed. If the Aneurysm expands and the walls of the vessel get too thin, it may explode, causing internal bleeding in the brain. 
• Ataxia: Impaired balance or coordination of the body parts with one another, caused due to damage in the brain or nerves is called Ataxia. It may lead to bodily imbalance and damaged or disturbed speech. 
  
  
• Dementia: Dementia refers to the disorder of cognitive functioning. In this condition, the brain cannot carry out normal cognitive processes like thinking, remembering, focusing and reasoning. Dementia is severe to the extent that it interferes with the day-to-day normal functionality of an individual. 
  
  
• Brain Tumours: Tumours developed in the brain can cause severe headaches, seizures, personality and behavioural changes, speech disorders etc. Brain tumours are very severe and can be life-threatening in nature. 

Common Procedures in Neurology: 

Some common procedures to treat neurological disorders are:

• Medication
• Spinal Cord Surgery
• Awake Brain Surgery
• Brain Rehabilitation
• Deep Brain Stimulation
• Related Physiotherapy
• Concussion Testing

How to prepare?

• Plan to come a bit earlier than expected for your appointment so you have time to complete any required paperwork and so you can collect your thoughts before you see the doctor.
• Bring your primary care doctor's name and address so that he can obtain a copy of the medical report after your visit. Have a recommendation document from your doctor and your insurance card on hand. Bring a record of any records or test results from the condition's medical history.
• Keep a track of all the medications you are taking, along with their dosages and supplements, as certain drugs can interact negatively with one another.
• Find out your family's medical history specifically pertaining to walking or coordination issues in your family, as some disorders may have a genetic component.
• In order to monitor the development of your ailment and better ascertain what therapies or medications are effective, keeping a diary or journal of your symptoms is a useful tool.
• Describe your symptoms in detail, focusing on how they interfere with your everyday activities. Include the approximate time when the symptoms first appeared or started to get worse. Prior to your consultation, decide on the top three symptoms or issues that need the most attention.

What to expect?

Tests for muscle power, memory, eye health and vision, and coordination are all part of a neurological examination. The exams typically don't hurt, but they could be slightly uncomfortable. For their initial neurology appointment, patients won't need to do anything ahead of time.

Conclusion:

According to medical terminology, neurological disorders are conditions that affect the spinal cord, brain, and body's nerves. Various symptoms can be caused by structural, metabolic, or electrical abnormalities in the brain, spinal cord, or other nerves. Thus, visit the neurologist as soon as you see any symptoms in you or your loved one.