Neurology doctors, or neurologists, investigate, diagnose, and treat neurological disorders affecting the central or peripheral nervous system. They treat conditions such as traumatic brain injuries, movement disorders, and chronic migraines. Becoming a neurologist requires about 12 years of education and clinical training. Neurologists do not perform invasive procedures, but they may propose surgery as part of a treatment plan. Their work overlaps with that of psychiatrists, who treat the emotional or mental science behind brain disorders.
Neurology doctors are medical professionals trained to investigate, diagnose and treat neurological disorders. Neurology doctors can also be called neurologists. They can treat any number of conditions, including traumatic brain injuries, cerebral palsy, and speech or language disorders. Neurology doctors also see people with movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and Gilles de la Tourette syndrome. Those suffering from epileptic seizures, coma or chronic migraines can also seek out these medical professionals.
Neurology doctors will work with most neurological disorders. Neurological disorders affect either the central nervous system or the peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system is responsible for coordinating the activities of all parts of the body and consists of the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system extends beyond the central nervous system and receives external stimuli, responding to danger and stress.
Becoming a physician of neurology requires about twelve years of education and clinical training. First, a four-year undergraduate degree must be earned, and then a medical degree from an accredited medical school. After graduating from medical school, neurologist candidates will complete four years of medical residency, learning their professional future in a hands-on work environment. The first year of residency is in internal medicine and the last three years focus on neurology. Some neurology doctors even go on fellowships, a year or two of further specialized training in areas such as behavioral neurology, neurorehabilitation or neuroimmunology.
The neurologist should not be confused with the neurosurgeon. Neurosurgeons perform surgical procedures. Although neurologists do not perform invasive procedures, they are the ones who diagnose neurological conditions and propose a course of treatment for that condition, which in some cases may include surgery. Neurosurgeons are usually consulted when other non-invasive options are exhausted.
The work of a neurology physician overlaps with that of a psychiatrist. Both treat brain disorders, but the neurologist works with the physical science of the brain. On the other hand, the psychiatrist works with the emotional or mental science behind the disorder. Some conditions where a patient may be treated by a neurologist and psychiatrist working towards the same goal are amnesia, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
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