For the best medical care, you should first consult a general practitioner or family doctor, who may refer you to a neurologist, but in some cases they may unable to provide a satisfactory answer to your concerns.Of course, it is better to get information in advance about the neurologist, his specialized work and the symptoms of nerve diseases.
Who is a neurologist?
A neurologist is a specialist who treats diseases related to the brain, spinal cord (central nervous system), peripheral nerves (nerves connecting the brain and spine to body organs such as: lungs or liver) and muscles.
Neurological diseases can include: chronic headaches, epilepsy, stroke, movement disorders such as body tremors and Parkinson's disease, and many other dangerous diseases.
Some symptoms for referring to a neurologist
1-Headache:
Headache is something that all of us have experienced at least once. We can feel pain that penetrates into the sinuses and goes to the upper part and the muscles of the head, neck, shoulders and moves along the base of the skull and brain. The causes of these chronic pains vary from sinus infections to toothaches. More serious symptoms of these headaches, including migraine headaches, can include nausea and vomiting, or persistent headaches that last for a long time, headaches that appear suddenly, or due to muscle sprains.
2- Vertigo:
Dizziness can appear in different ways. Neurologists are able to treat vertigo caused by unsteadiness or looking down from a great height. Vertigo mode gives you the feeling that the surrounding environment is spinning and moving around your head. Instability is the inability or difficulty in maintaining a balance point, mental or physical balance. Your GP will help you determine how severe your dizziness is.
3- Body weakness:
The feeling of weakness for which you should see a doctor is more than extreme fatigue or muscle pain after long walks or heavy lifting. Muscle weakness is such that you need to spend more energy to move your body parts, and this is a reason to consult a specialist doctor. Body weakness can have other causes such as nervous system disease and subsequent stroke.
4-Movement problems:
Movement problems such as: difficulty in walking, clumsiness, abnormal movement and shaking of body parts, etc. All these cases can be a reason for a serious problem in the nervous system. In case of disruption in daily activities, it is better to seek help from a neurologist, of course, it should be kept in mind that some of these problems and symptoms such as tremors and shaking of the body can be caused by the side effects of medication or the person is in a state of anxiety. But again, if it disrupts daily activities, it is necessary to consult a neurologist.
5-convulsion:
convulsion or seizures can be very subtle or severe. Convulsion symptoms can range from loss of consciousness to sudden movements of arms and legs, breathing problems, confusion, etc. Although some of these attacks occur due to low blood sugar or withdrawal from addictive substances, for attacks that occur suddenly and without specific causes, you should immediately consult a neurologist. The general practitioner will only help you assess the severity of the attack and determine whether it is necessary to refer to a neurologist or not.
6-Vision problems:
Difficulty in vision can occur due to aging or problems in the nervous system. If the difficulty in seeing suddenly occurs in both eyes, you should see an eye doctor. An ophthalmologist or a general practitioner will determine whether a referral to a neurologist is necessary or not.
7-Irregularity in the sleep pattern:
While we know that the obvious causes of disturbed sleep hours, going to sleep late, having conditions such as sleep apnea, anxiety and nightmares, some of these irregularities in the sleep pattern is due to nervous disorders. An example is the sudden and intense desire to sleep, which is a chronic and genetic disorder that occurs without a specific cause and affects the central nervous system.
8-Impairment of the senses:
Impairment in speaking, personality change, memory impairment, etc. are symptoms of disorders in the nervous system, brain and spinal cord. Some of these symptoms can be caused by learning disabilities or diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. Based on the symptoms of the disease and their severity, the doctor determines whether it is necessary to refer to a neurologist or not.