Neurologist / Neurology

Neurology deals with the study of the central, peripheral and autonomic nervous system. It also involves the study of structural and functional disorders of the nervous system, from congenital malformations to neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease.

When do we call the neurologist?

Among the conditions a neurologist can diagnose and treat are:

• headaches: migraine, trigeminal neuralgia, tension headaches, cluster headaches;
• tremor or other involuntary movements;
• damage to the peripheral nervous system: lumbar neuralgia or sciatica, diabetic neuropathies, alcoholic neuropathies, lesions of the nerve plexuses or peripheral nerves, carpal tunnel syndrome,
• neurodegenerative diseases: Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington’s chorea, Friedreich’s ataxia;
• epilepsy;
• stroke or cerebral haemorrhage;
• the after-effects of cerebral palsy;
• sleep disorders;
• demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis or neuromyelitis optica;
• neuromuscular disorders: Duchenne dystrophy, Becker muscular dystrophy;
• neuromuscular junction disorders: myasthenia gravis.

The most common signs and symptoms that bring the patient to the neurologist are:

• headache
• back pain
• tremor
• numbness and tingling in the hands or feet
• dizziness
• gait or balance disorders
• muscle weakness
• epileptic seizures
• memory disorders
• sleep disorders

How does a consultation with the neurologist go?

Examination by the neurologist includes a detailed history of the symptoms that brought the patient to the consultation, other medical conditions present in the patient or other family members, risk factors and current medications used, as well as a complete neurological examination in which the cranial nerves, gait, movement of body segments, muscle tone, coordination, osteotendinous and skin reflexes, skin, thermal and vibratory sensitivity, presence or absence of sphincter disorders, appearance and mobility of muscles and joints, mental status.

Depending on the symptoms and signs observed, the neurologist may need to further investigation to establish an accurate diagnosis, including: blood or urine tests, imaging studies such as X-rays, CT scans, nuclear magnetic resonance, or neurophysiology studies such as electroencephalography, nerve conduction studies and electromyography, auditory or visual evoked potentials.

Neurology Appointment Form

Please fill in the details below to request information or an appointment. A member of the Med Anima team will contact you shortly after receiving the form to set up all the details of the appointment together.

Neurology and psychiatry

Neurology and psychiatry are two areas of medicine which, although different in approach, have a deep and essential interconnection. Neurology focuses on the study of the nervous system, while psychiatry deals with aspects of the individual’s mental and emotional state. This interdependence reflects the complexity and unity of the human body, highlighting how proper functioning of the nervous system is essential for mental health and vice versa.

Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy or multiple sclerosis can have a significant impact on an individual’s psychological state, often associated with depression and anxiety. Patients with neurological conditions involving chronic pain, often seen in migraines and neuropathies (disorders of the nervous system) can also develop similar disorders.

Multidisciplinary assessment – neurologist, psychiatrist, psychologist

Mental disorders occur at a very high rate in neurological disorders and affect a large part of the entire population of the world. To date, 14 types of major neurological disorders are known, with a clinical picture similar to that of psychiatric diseases and disorders, which occur as a result of damage to the human brain or as a result of the evolution of neurological diseases.