A neurologist is a doctor that specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders of the nervous system. This includes the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, and includes a wide variety of conditions that affect anything from motor functioning to cognitive skills. Generally, a neurologist will begin treating a patient only after that patient is referred there by another doctor, most commonly a general practitioner or internal medicine physician.
Once the patient has been referred, the neurologist will take a complete medical history and perform an evaluation of the patient's nervous system. This will include testing the patient's reflexes, coordination, gait, sensory capabilities, motor skills, cranial nerves, and cognitive function. The medical history can help doctors determine whether or not the patient's family history includes any neurological diseases or conditions.
Neurologists treat many different conditions. They range from common conditions such as headaches, infections, and sleep disorders to more serious conditions, including epilepsy, strokes, dementia, seizures, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, neuromuscular disorders, and head trauma. The treatment that these doctors provide varies based on the particular condition. They may refer the patient to a different specialist, prescribe medications, or recommend and assist with a surgical procedure. They may also refer the patient to a physical therapist, which can help improve motor skills, coordination, and reflexes.
In addition to treating a variety of medical conditions, a neurologist is also frequently asked to evaluate unresponsive patients who are on life support. In this situation, the doctor will examine the patient for the purpose of confirming whether or not the patient's brain has ceased functioning.
Although some neurologists work with all types of neurological disorders, there are others who specialize in certain parts of the nervous system, as well as those who specialize in performing specific procedures. For example, a clinical neurophysiologist specializes in using electrodiagnostic techniques to diagnose certain neurological disorders.
Another example of a specialty within the field is neurosurgery, which combines the study of neurology with surgical training. Neurosurgeons generally perform surgeries to treat neurological disorders after a general neurologist makes a diagnosis and determines that such surgery is necessary.
Because of the wide variety of duties that neurologists have, these doctors generally spend parts of each day examining new patients, meeting with referring physicians, and visiting with other patients to follow up on their treatment and evaluate their progress. They also often work "on-call," meaning they can be called in at any time of the day or night to attend to emergency situations. As a result, these doctors often work long, irregular hours. This is especially true for doctors who have just started their careers.