Consulting
Rooms
149 Crawford Road
RD1 Tauranga 3171
view directions
Phone:
07-552
4624
Tuesday
& Wednesday
8.30am - 12.30pm
Fax:
07-552 4579
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About neurology and what a neurologist does
A
neurologist is a specialist physician, expert in the diagnosis
and management of medical illnesses involving the brain, spinal
cord, nerve and muscle.
Examples of symptoms which may
indicate a neurological disorder include:
• memory failure and other thinking difficulty 
• blackouts, seizures or other turns
• headache
• many visual symptoms including double vision
• dizziness and vertigo
• speech and swallowing problems
• tingling, numbness
• pain in the face or limbs
• weakness
• tremor or other excessive movements
• imbalance and walking difficulty
• muscle weakness
• fatigue
A neurologist must also recognise emotional and psychological health influences
(neuropsychiatry) such as anxiety, depression and other reasons why the nervous
system does not function properly.
Examples of important neurological disorders are: Alzheimer’s disease,
stroke, migraine, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, motor
neuron disease, peripheral neuropathies and head injury but there are many other
rare neurological disorders.
A visit to a neurologist may be necessary for confident reassurance that symptoms
are not due to serious illness.
 An
accurate diagnosis, as far as possible, is the starting point
for appropriate
treatment. Usually this can be established after
hearing the history of the illness and conducting an office based neurological
examination. Sometimes a diagnosis
requires time and follow-up examinations to ensure accuracy. Blood tests, brain
scans, electroencephalograms or electrical studies of nerve and muscle (electromyography)
may also help clinical decision making.
Management of neurological disorders continues to evolve with many examples of
modern, innovative treatments. A neurologist is experienced in selecting appropriate
and timely treatments, including referral to a surgical colleague when this is
necessary.
Sometimes, management of neurological disorders can be symptomatic, supportive
or palliative, without direct or specific treatment of the underlying cause.
This is an important aspect of a neurologist’s work, often in conjunction
with other health practitioners experienced in the management of neurological
illness.
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