Does A Neurologist Treat The Spine
Neurological surgeons provide medical, but not surgical, treatment of diseases affecting the brain, spine, and nervous system. is the worlds largest association of neurologists and neuroscience professionals, with 34,000 members. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the central and peripheral nervous systems.
Diagnosing Low Back Pain
Diagnosis is made by a neurosurgeon based on history, symptoms, physical examination and results of diagnostic studies. Some patients may be treated conservatively if conservative treatment is ineffective, the physician may order imaging studies of the lower back and other tests, which may include:
What Is Neuropathic Pain
Neuropathic pain occurs when nerve fibers become damaged, traumatized and/or otherwise dysfunctional.
To best understand neuropathic pain, letâs talk briefly about what nerves do. Their job is to relay messages to and from the brain and spinal cord about whatâs going on. Nerves are found in tissues, organs, muscles and more.
If you burn your hand on a hot stove, for example, your nerves go right to work communicating this input to the brain and spinal cord. Nerves also carry response signals from the brain, delivering these back to those body tissues that were involved in the inciting incident, in this case, your hand. The response signals show up as pain and impulses to move. They will likely prompt you to take your hand away from the stove burner or to run it under cold water to decrease the pain.
This pain felt from this example of the normal workings of nerves is not neuropathic pain, but nociceptive pain. Nociceptive pain refers to pain related to actual tissue damage. In the hot stove example, itâs your skin, and not your nerves, that experiences the nociceptive pain.
With neuropathic pain, the signals sent to you by the damaged fibers may sometimes âgo haywire.â They may seem like they donât make sense. The reason is, over time, these nerves may become active for no reason. That is, they âfireâ but itâs not in response to changes that are going on in the tissues, organs or muscles they serve.
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Recommended Treatment Options By Neurologists
Neurologists have the advantage of knowing the health of the patients nerves and muscles. In many cases, acute pain is due to strains, muscle damage, or nerve damage. This means the neurologist can then use non-surgical options to treat the condition. The doctor will often recommend physical therapy, lifestyle changes, and rest. Neurologists also encourage techniques like chiropractic care or biofeedback therapy. If the pain persists, medication, and steroid injections come next. With consistent work, acute back pain can clear up.
When A Referral May Be Needed
There are many conditions that can cause back pain, and some of them respond well to treatment from a neurologist. For example, herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, radiculopathy, and pinched nerves are all conditions that can usually be effectively treated by a neurologist. In many cases, the goal of treatment is to relieve your pain and improve your quality of life.
There are also some conditions that may require a referral to another specialist. For example, if you have cancer or an infection, you will likely be referred to a doctor who specializes in treating those conditions. Another condition that generally requires surgery is moderate to severe spinal deformities. In some cases, a neurologist may also refer you to a spinal surgeon if your back pain is severe and does not respond to other treatment options. There are simply some cases of back pain that respond better to a more invasive, surgical approach.
If you are experiencing back pain that is not improving with treatment from a neurologist, it can be beneficial to get a referral from your neurologist. This is because they are experts in diagnosing and treating conditions that cause back pain and can often provide contacts that specialize in your condition. In short, getting a referral from a neurologist can help ensure that you receive the most comprehensive and effective care possible.
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Neurologist & Sleep Medicine Located In Henderson Nv & Bullhead City Az
Few things can stop you in your tracks faster than neck and back pain. At Tri-State Neurological & Sleep Disorder Center in Henderson, Nevada and Bullhead City, AZ, Muhammad Nayer MD offers comprehensive diagnostic and treatment for neck and back pain. If youve made efforts to relieve or work through these common complaints, book a consultation to explore advanced diagnostic tools and targeted treatment options. Online scheduling makes it easy to find a time that fits your busy schedule, or youre always welcome to contact the office by phone.
What Happens During A Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection Procedure
You will likely have your lumbar epidural steroid injection in a hospital or an outpatient clinic. In most cases, a lumbar ESI takes 15 to 30 minutes. Its important to be very still during this procedure.
There are different ways your healthcare provider can access the epidural space around your spinal cord in your low back, which include:
The general steps of a lumbar epidural steroid injection procedure include:
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Ways Neurologists Treat Back Pain
If you are one of the millions of people who suffer from back pain, you may be wondering what your treatment options are. You may have considered going to a chiropractor or physical therapist, but did you know that neurologists can also help treat back pain? You may have seen neurologists listed as a possible treatment option and wondered what they could do to help. A neurologist is a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that affect the nervous system, including the brain, spine, and nerves. In this blog post, we will discuss 5 ways that neurologists can help manage back pain. We will also discuss cases that respond well to care from a neurologist, as well as conditions that may require a different treatment approach.
Diagnose The Cause Of The Back Pain
Some providers treat the symptoms without knowing the cause of the pain. Fortunately, neurologists are trained to diagnose the cause of back pain.
They use a variety of tests, including X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and myelograms. They can also perform EMG testing to determine if you have nerve damage. By finding the cause of the back pain, your neurologist can help you recover.
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What Does A Neurologist Do On Your First Visit
You will most likely be asked to participate in a physical exam and neurological exam during your first appointment. Neurological exams measure muscles strength, sensation, reflexes, and coordination. Because of the complexity of the nervous system, you may be asked to take more than one test.
If you have a history of neurological disorders, such as epilepsy or Parkinsons disease, your neurologist may recommend that you undergo a neurological evaluation. This evaluation may include an MRI, PET scan, or other tests to determine the cause of your symptoms.
What Causes Back Pain
Itâs a combination of injury to joint, muscle, inflammation, neurological pathway disruption and sensory misperception in the brain. You canât affect one without affecting them all as described through Hiltonâs Law. Hiltonâs law is a powerful springboard to understand articular anatomy and pathophysiology . Through diagnostic testing, weâre able to determine the source of your back pain and treat it appropriately using a multi-modal approach.
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After Examination Tests May Be Needed To Further The Evaluation
Depending on the results of the individual tests, other examinations may be performed, possibly including measurement of electrical activity in the brain , muscle activity or nerve conductivity . Imaging techniques such as ultrasound, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging may be used. Sometimes a lumbar puncture is necessary to take a sample of your cerebrospinal fluid .
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How To Choose A Pain Specialist
Your doctor can tell you which kind of specialist you need and possibly give you a referral. In choosing a provider, youâll want to find out their general approach to managing pain and how they would treat you specifically. Pick a doctor who:
- Has the training and experience in treating your specific type of pain. Most will have done a pain medicine fellowship, which is training above and beyond a doctorâs training in a specialty.
- Is âboard-certified,â which means they have passed in-depth tests in fields such as anesthesiology, neurology, or physical medicine and rehab
- Has a good reputation in the medical community
- Encourages you to ask questions
- Allows you to disagree
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What Are Neurological Symptoms Of Back Pain
Seek medical help when you need it. Although low back pain is a common occurrence, some features should be evaluated by a medical professional, such as persistent or worsening back pain, neurological symptoms, including numbness, weakness, or tingling, or changes in mental status. Pain.
Disc degeneration occurs when the outer layer of the disc, called the inner layer, becomes thinner and thinner. This thinning can lead to disc bulges and disc herniation, a condition in which a disc protrudes into the spinal canal.
In some cases, the bulge can become so large that it interferes with the normal movement of a persons lower back, causing pain and disability.
a herniated disc in the spine a spinal cord injury an injury to the vertebrae or the nerves that run along them and an infection or inflammation of one or more of these areas.
Act As Part Of Care Team:
In some cases, a neurologist may be part of a care team that includes other specialists. For example, if you have a condition that is causing nerve damage, you may be seen by a neurologist, pain management specialist, and physical therapist. In other cases, you may eventually need spine surgery, in which case your neurologist may work with your spinal surgeon, as well as you before and after surgery. This team approach can provide you with comprehensive care that is tailored to your needs.
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Neurologist Perform Nerve Conduction Velocity Ncv Testing
- One of the most requested tests from a patient that I see in my office is the nerve conduction velocity or NCV. Nerve conduction is when you move your finger and it moves into a different location than where it is pointed to.
- The average person can do about 120 motion points with just one finger. This means that a neurologist can find out if you are experiencing problems with your neurological system and many times the problem is so subtle that we dont notice it until it is very progressed.
- When this type of test is requested from a patient, they typically request nerve conduction velocity testing.
- Neuroimaging or MRI testing is another common diagnostic test that is requested by neurologists.
- When a patient requests this form of testing, they usually want to know if there is an abnormality on their brain that causes the problem.
- It is used to look for tumors, chronic nerve damage, stroke, head trauma, spinal cord abnormalities and many other disorders and diseases.
- This type of imaging can be performed using radiological techniques, which uses radio waves, or using optical imaging, which uses light waves.
- There are many techniques that a neurologist will use to conduct these tests, but it depends on the situation, the severity of the problem and the location of the afflicted nerve.
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When Do You Need A Neurosurgeon
A neurosurgeon works on your brain, right? Thats true, but a neurosurgeon does a lot more than brain surgery. In fact, about 70 percent of a neurosurgeons time is devoted to your spine, treating back pain, neck pain, herniated discs, degenerative disc disease and even leg pain.
Neurosurgeons work with the entire nervous system that starts in your brain, runs through your spine, and branches out to all areas of your body. Often, pain that you feel is traveling through the nervous system. Neurosurgeons treat many painful conditions, such as low back pain, epilepsy, stroke, sciatica, pinched nerves and chronic pain. These conditions may manifest itself in one place but appear in another. For example, carpal tunnel symptoms may be related to spinal disc problems in the neck.
Most people think of neurosurgeons as doctors performing complex surgery. While its true that neurosurgeons can perform complicated surgical procedures in the spine and brain, its often non-surgical or conservative care that is prescribed. Diagnosing your condition and coming up with a treatment plan that is progressive in nature is typical with most neurosurgeons. For example, back pain may be treated medically with anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy and other non-surgical means. If your condition has progressed past these types of treatment, and if surgery is indicated, then the neurosurgeons can perform the needed surgery.
Cranial Conditions
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Nothing Cute About This Back Pain
Back pain continues to plague Americans. Millions of dollars get spent in healthcare for back pain. Furthermore, 8 of 10 Americans will see a doctor for back pain at some point. Lower back pain happens the most as this area holds up most of the bodys weight. Acute back pain is even more stressful. The sharp pain comes suddenly, lasting a few days or a few weeks. With the help of a doctor, and sometimes a neurologist, back pain sufferers can find relief.
Why Is A Neurologist Helpful In Back Pain Diagnoses
A neurological doctor is one who has training and is licensed in the practice of neurology, that is, the study of the nervous system.
A neurological specialist can do an examination of the patient and help the patient to discover which type of pain they are experiencing.
A neurological exam usually begins with a history of symptoms.
Based on the history, the neurologist will then do a physical examination of the back to assess muscle function, range of motion, joint stiffness, and any tenderness or spasm.
Tests such as these may reveal problems that a normal medical examination might miss. They may also be able to detect the existence of neurological problems that a doctor would otherwise not be able to observe.
A neurological exam and review of symptoms by a trained professional to provide valuable information that can be used to help someone get the treatment they need.
A good Neurologist will know how to ask questions when the patient is lying on the table and can refer the patient to a specialist for more in-depth testing.
The results of neurological tests will determine what is causing the back pain and how to treat it.
A specialist can often suggest exercises that will help prevent the recurrence of back pain problems.
If a person is suffering from chronic back pain, getting the right diagnosis and treatment from a qualified professional can make all the difference between living a life that is pain free and suffering another back pain episode.
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What Does A Neurologist Do For Back Pain
Back pain affects 80 percent of people at some point during their lifetimes. Often, the pain is so debilitating that people cannot function. In fact, back pain is responsible for more than 264 million missed workdays per year. If youre one of the many people suffering from back pain from a work-related injury, an auto accident, or as a chronic condition, its time to visit a neurologist. Find out what a neurologist can do to help your back pain.
Many Surgeons Have An Inherent Lean Toward Surgery
Surgeons will order diagnostic tests like MRIs and x-rays, just like a general or family doctor can. The difference is that surgeons cant help seeing every patient through the lens of their most powerful tool: Can surgery help this patient? Looking at a problem through these lens causes them to overlook other, nonsurgical treatments. Thus, even the best surgeons may recommend an unnecessary surgery.
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Common Noninvasive Neurological Examinations
The most common tests that a neurologist may recommend to a patient with symptoms of a neurological disorder are brain scans, neuropsychological tests, and neurological exams.
These tests will help your neurologist to determine if you have a possible serious neurological condition or not.
A brain scan is a visual process where the brains functions such as motor function, speech comprehension, visual spatial awareness, and cognitive processes are evaluated using a computer.
Through this test, a neurologist will be able to identify if the patient is suffering from a possible severe brain abnormality or not.
Neuropsychological tests are conducted on patients wherein they will answer multiple questions about the factors that can cause or contribute to a patients neurological problems such as depression, trauma, repetitive movements, and intelligence.
Another very common procedure that a neurologist may suggest to his or her patient is performing neurological exercises such as motor skill training, manual dexterity, balance, vision, and speech therapy.
What Do Neurosurgeons Do
The American Board of Neurological Surgery explains that neurosurgeons provide surgical treatment of the brain, spinal column, and nervous system. They treat anatomical and structural problems that interfere with the functioning of the nervous system.
Neurosurgeons and spine specialists, like Dr. Fayaz, do more than just operate on patients. In fact they want to see how they might avoid surgery whenever possible. The neurosurgeon is a part of the diagnosis, non-surgical treatment, surgical treatment and rehabilitation of their patients. To become certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, a physician must do at least one year of residency training in surgery, and five additional years of residency in neurosurgery following graduation from medical school. Most neurosurgeons spend an additional year of fellowship training, to further specialize in a specific area of neurosurgery. In addition, board certified neurosurgeons must complete written and oral examinations, as well as meet various practice benchmarks through an extensive and rigorous process in order to ensure the competence and technical proficiency of the individual. Dr. Fayaz holds board certifications in both the US and Canada.
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