SHOULD YOU SEE A NEUROLOGIST?

To get the best treatment, you should always see your primary care physician first. He or she may recommend that you see a neurologist if they cannot properly treat your symptoms. Then it’s good to know what a neurologist does and what symptoms he or she treats.

A Neurological Dubai is a specialist in treating disorders of the brain and spinal cord (the central nervous system), peripheral nerves (nerves that connect the brain and spine to organs such as the lungs or liver), and muscles. Neurological disorders include headaches, epilepsy, stroke, movement disorders such as tremor or Parkinson’s disease, and many others. Read more about the most common symptoms of neurological disorders below.

Top Reasons Why you should see a Neurologist

1. headaches
   
   Headaches are something we all experience. We can feel them spreading into our sinuses, across the top of our head, through the muscles of our head, neck and shoulders, or along the base of our skull and brain. They can have many causes, from a sinus infection to a throbbing toothache after a visit to the dentist.

Symptoms of more serious headaches, including migraines, can include vomiting, headaches that become more severe or persistent, sudden headaches or pain that worsens with exertion, headaches that start early in the morning, vision problems or even seizures.

If your headache symptoms are severe enough, your primary care physician may refer you to a neurologist.

2. chronic pain
   
   Chronic pain is pain that lasts for months or even years. This pain may be the result of an illness or injury, but if it lasts longer than the usual recovery time, it may be a symptom of another problem.

If your primary care physician cannot help you treat this pain, you should see a neurologist, especially if you have other symptoms besides pain, such as weakness, numbness, or problems with bladder and bowel control.

3. dizziness
   
   Vertigo can come in a variety of forms. Neurologists treat dizziness, which is a symptom of vertigo or balance disorders. With vertigo, you feel like you or things around you are spinning; with balance disorders, you have trouble keeping your balance.

Your primary care doctor can help you decide if your dizziness is severe enough to see a neurologist.

4. numbness or tingling sensation
   
   Numbness or tingling can occur for many different reasons, such as when you sit in a way that cuts off your blood circulation or when you haven’t eaten. However, if the numbness persists, comes on suddenly, or occurs on only one side of your body, it may be time to see a neurologist.

Numbness or tingling, as described here, can also be signs of a stroke, and in that case you need to get help very quickly. Your primary care physician can help you evaluate these symptoms, but if you think you are having a stroke, you should seek medical help immediately.

5. weakness
   
   Feelings of weakness for which you should see a doctor are different from fatigue or muscle pain after a long walk or lifting too many weights. You should see your doctor if you experience muscle weakness that affects your daily activities or if your muscle strength, especially in your arms and legs, decreases rapidly. This could be caused by a more serious nervous system condition, such as a stroke.
   

6. problems with locomotion
   
   Movement problems such as difficulty walking, clumsiness, involuntary twitches or movements, tremors, or others may be symptoms of a problem in your nervous system. You should see a neurologist if these movement problems are affecting your daily life, although something like tremors can be a side effect of medication or anxiety. However, if your tremors are also affecting your daily activities, you should see a neurologist.
   
7. seizures
   
   Seizures can be almost imperceptible or very extreme. Symptoms of seizures can range from staring to unconsciousness, jerky movements of the arms and legs, breathing problems, confusion or loss of consciousness.

Some seizures may be caused by low blood sugar or withdrawal from addictive drugs, but you should see your doctor for seizures that occur suddenly or without an obvious cause. Your primary care doctor can help you determine how severe your seizure is and whether you should see a neurologist.

8. vision problems
   
   Vision difficulties can be age-related or caused by the nervous system. If the difficulty comes on suddenly and affects both eyes, you should have your vision checked. Either an ophthalmologist or your primary care physician can advise you on whether you should see a neurologist about your vision problems.
   
9. memory problems or confusion
   
   Problems with speech, extreme memory problems, personality changes or confusion are all symptoms that can be caused by disorders or problems in the brain, spine and nerves. Some of the symptoms may be due to learning difficulties, or they may be caused by a disease like Alzheimer’s.

Your primary care doctor can help you evaluate your symptoms and decide if you need to see a neurologist.

10. sleep problems
    
    While there are many obvious causes of sleep problems, such as going to bed too late, sleep apnea, anxiety, nightmares, or others, some sleep problems are neurological disorders. One example is narcolepsy, a chronic, genetic disorder with no known cause that affects the body’s central nervous system.

Many of these symptoms could be part of a non-neurological disorder. Your primary care doctor can best help you decide whether you should see a neurologist. However, if your symptoms are severe enough or you don’t trust your primary care doctor’s recommendations, you may need to make an appointment with a Neurologist in Dubai.