Neurology Q & A

What conditions do neurologists treat?

All the conditions normally seen by chiropractors like pains from injuries caused by lifting, falls, sports injuries, auto accidents, etc plus:

• Headaches and chronic pain
• Learning and attention disorders
• Vertigo
• Developmental disorders
• Head injury or stroke
• Spinal cord and nerve injuries
• Movement disorders
• Balance Disorders
• Dystonia
• Autism
• Dyslexia
• Thyroid Conditions
• Diabetic Neuropathy
• Traumatic Brain Injury

What is Neurology?

Neurology is the branch of medicine concerned with the study and treatment of disorders of the nervous system. The nervous system is a complex, sophisticated system that regulates and coordinates body activities. It has two major divisions

A doctor who specializes in neurology is called a neurologist. The neurologist treats disorders that affect the brain, spinal cord, and nerves, such as:

• Cerebrovascular disease, such as stroke
• Demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis
• Headache disorders
• Infections of the brain and peripheral nervous system
• Movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease
• Neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease)

• Seizure disorders, such as epilepsy
• Spinal cord disorders
• Speech and language disorders

What is a head injury?

Head injuries are one of the most common causes of disability and death in adults. The injury can be as mild as a bump, bruise (contusion), or cut on the head, or can be moderate to severe in nature due to a concussion, deep cut or open wound, fractured skull bone(s), or from internal bleeding and damage to the brain.

A head injury is a broad term that describes a vast array of injuries that occur to the scalp, skull, brain, and underlying tissue and blood vessels in the head. Head injuries are also commonly referred to as brain injury, or traumatic brain injury (TBI), depending on the extent of the head trauma.

What causes a head injury?

There are many causes of head injury in children and adults. The most common traumatic injuries are from motor vehicle accidents (automobiles, motorcycles, or struck as a pedestrian), from violence, from falls, or as a result of child abuse. Subdural hematomas and brain hemorrhages can sometimes happen spontaneously.

How are head injuries diagnosed?

The full extent of the problem may not be completely understood immediately after the injury, but may be revealed with a comprehensive medical evaluation and diagnostic testing. The diagnosis of a head injury is made with a physical examination and diagnostic tests. During the examination, the doctor obtains a complete medical history of the patient and family and asks how the injury occurred. Trauma to the head can cause neurological problems and may require further medical follow up.

Diagnostic tests may include:

• Blood tests
• X-ray. A diagnostic test that uses invisible electromagnetic energy beams to produce images of internal tissues, bones, and organs onto film.
• Computed tomography scan (also called a CT or CAT scan). A diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a combination of X-rays and computer technology to produce horizontal, or axial, images (often called slices) of the body. A CT scan shows detailed images of any part of the body, including the bones, muscles, fat, and organs. CT scans are more detailed than general X-rays.
• Electroencephalogram (EEG). A procedure that records the brain’s continuous, electrical activity by means of electrodes attached to the scalp.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A diagnostic procedure that uses a combination of large magnets, radiofrequencies, and a computer to produce detailed images of organs and structures within the body.

Treatment of a head injury

Specific treatment of a head injury will be determined by your doctor based on:

• Your age, overall health, and medical history
• Extent of the head injury
• Type of head injury
• Your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
• Expectations for the course of the head injury
• Your opinion or preference

Depending on the severity of the injury, treatment may include:

• Ice
• Rest
• Topical antibiotic ointment and adhesive bandage
• Observation
• Immediate medical attention
• Stitches
• Hospitalization for observation
• Moderate sedation or assistance with breathing that would require being placed on a breathing machine, or mechanical ventilator or respirator
• Surgery