Has your primary care physician referred you to a neurologist? No doubt, you wonder how this medical specialist will examine you. Let’s discuss how a neurologist diagnoses and treats your conditions and what to expect during a visit to your neurologist in West Orange, NJ.
What Is a Neurologist?
A neurologist is a medical doctor with extensive training and experience in diseases and conditions related to the brain, spinal cord and nervous system. To become a neurologist, a person must complete four years of medical school.
This is followed by a one-year internship and three years of neurology residency. After this, the neurology resident may choose to specialize in a specific area of neurology through additional fellowship training.
What Conditions Do Neurologists Diagnose and Treat?
Neurologists diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions that affect the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system. Some common neurological disorders this specialist deals with include:
- Headaches and migraines
- Stroke
- Sleep disorders
- Neuropathy and nerve-related pain
- Epilepsy and other seizure disorders
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson’s disease
- Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
- Vision and hearing changes
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
A neurologist also may play a vital role in helping people with certain mental health issues. For instance, this specialist can help determine why a person may have obsessive-compulsive disorder or depression, which is not responding to medication and therapy.
What Will My Visit to a Neurologist Involve?
There is no special preparation needed for a visit to a neurologist. However, be sure you can detail any symptoms you may be experiencing. Include their severity, location, when they began and if any helps to relieve them. Also, make sure your medical records have been transferred from your primary care physician to the neurology office.
During your visit with your neurologist, your provider will ask about your medical history, family history (particularly as it may pertain to your current medical concerns), medications, and symptoms you are experiencing. Also, the doctor will perform some simple assessments to evaluate your:
- Mental status (general responsiveness and awareness)
- Reflexes
- Movement, including coordination, strength, gait, and balance
- Touch perception
- Muscular strength
- Function of cranial nerves
For instance, your neurologist may ask you to remember and repeat a series of numbers or words to test for mental status and cognitive function. The doctor could ask you to identify objects, solve simple math problems, or follow a series of instructions.
To assess your reflexes, the doctor will use a small rubber hammer to tap different areas of your body (such as your knees and elbows) and observe your body’s response.
Touch perception is easily evaluated by touching various parts of your body with varying amounts of pressure and/or textures. For instance, can you feel the light touch of a pointed probe along the soles of both feet?
Your movement will be assessed through various tasks, such as walking in a straight line or standing on one foot. The doctor can test your coordination by having you touch your nose with your finger or perform other simple movements.
With findings from these assessments, your neurologist will determine a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan tailored to your specific neurological needs. Your provider may order additional tests, such as blood work or imaging scans, to investigate any potential issues further.
Imaging tests can include an MRI, digital X-rays, a CT scan or a PET scan. EEG (electroencephalography) and EMG (electromyography) test for brain activity and nerve function.
The Best Neurologist in West Orange, NJ
Hudson Medical Group is a multispecialty physician’s group that includes neurology services provided by Dr. Aviva Bojko and Dr. Eric Geller. Our highly trained providers can confer with each other to provide you with the most comprehensive neurological care possible.
Dr. Bojko and Dr. Geller are both board-certified neurologists with extensive experience in treating a wide range of conditions related to the brain, spinal cord, and nerves.
To arrange your consultation with one of these specialists, call our office team at (973) 705-4914. Also, you may request your visit online. Remember, we are here to help you achieve and maintain your best possible level of health and function.
