A neurologist evaluates and treats disorders of the brain, the spinal cord, and the blood supply of those structures. She also works with muscle diseases and other non-surgical problems. Examples of diseases treated by a neurologist included: multiple sclerosis, migraine and other types of headaches, dizziness, blackouts, seizures, Parkinson’s Disease, other movement disorders, loss of memory, and neck and back pain.

A neurologist receives an M.D. or D.O. degree after four years of medical school. Many programs require an internship in internal medicine, and then there is a three-year residency in neurology. After the residency, some neurologists complete a fellowship, or additional training in programs such as vascular disease or muscular disease.

It is best to talk with your primary car physician about your health problems. Then he can help you decide whether you should see a neurologist. In many cases a neurologist will follow you for a short time until your course of evaluation and treatment are established. In other cases the neurologist will continue to see you for a long period of time. Often the primary care physician will decide whether to assume total responsibility for your care, or whether to continue to coordinate your care with a neurologist or other specialist.

You can call the office of a neurologist and describe your problems briefly, and the receptionist or nurse can help you decide if you need that type of appointment. Even in that case, the neurologist will want you to continue your general care under the direction of your primary care physician.

In some cases, patients are seen for just one or two visits. Other times long term follow up by a neurologist is indicated, perhaps for many years. For example patients with seizures, Parkinson’s disease and headaches are often followed at a regular interval by the neurologist. The frequency of visits is determined by the stability of the problem.

The neurologist has a medical training background. A neurosurgeon has a surgical background. The neurologist might do evaluation such as muscle or nerve testing, or electroencephalograms for evaluation of seizures or blackouts or memory loss. She does not do any surgery. She will follow patients with non-surgical problems or she might follow patients after they have had neurosurgery for a continuing problem, such as seizures.

A neurosurgeon might work with a neurologist to arrange diagnostic testing or to adjust medications. The neurosurgeon usually sees the patient pre-operatively. After the
post-operative period is over, the patient is often discharged from the care of a neurosurgeon.

It is always appropriate to discuss your problems with your primary care physician. After you see a specialist, you can ask your primary care doctor if he agrees with the recommendations. You should be able to ask the specialist herself if you have uncertainty about recommendations. Some situations do not lead to a specific diagnosis. Some illnesses can only be diagnosed long after onset of symptoms.

It is rarely beneficial to your care for you to seek more than two or perhaps three, opinions from a physician of the same specialty. If you do get opinions about the same issue from more than one physician, and particularly if they make different recommendations, you should share this information with the physician who continues to participate in your care. It can be dangerous to your health to withhold information from the treating physician.

Your primary care physician should be informed of the outcomes of your evaluation and care by other doctors and providers.

There is an abundance of information on the web. Much of this information is unedited. Some of it is not substantiated by adequate clinical trials. If you get information from this source, ask your doctor about her opinions with regard to that subject. Know the source of the information, including the author and any affiliation that author might have with a medical school, hospital, or other organization.

It is important to realize that each patient is an individual. Part of practicing medicine, is to determine what is appropriate for each patient based on history, examination, and other parameters that lead to a conclusion. General ideas and results of studies on a few patients, often do not apply to your specific symptoms and treatment.