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Memorial Hospital Neurosciences

Most people associate neurological problems with stroke or headaches, but the field encompasses a wide range of complex nervous system disorders. At Memorial Health System, we evaluate and treat the following neurological conditions:

• Vascular disorders such as stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), subarachnoid hemorrhage, subdural hemorrhage and hematoma, and extradural hemorrhage

• Infections such as meningitis, encephalitis and epidural abscess

• Structural disorders such as brain or spinal cord injury, Bell's palsy, cervical spondylosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, brain or spinal cord tumors, congenital malformations, peripheral neuropathy and Guillain-Barré syndrome

• Functional disorders such as headaches, epilepsy, dizziness and neuralgia

• Degenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Huntington's chorea and Alzheimer's disease

Neurosciences Treatments and Procedures
Evaluating and diagnosing damage to the nervous system is complicated and complex. Many of the same symptoms occur in different combinations among the different disorders. To further complicate the diagnostic process, many disorders do not have definitive causes, markers, or tests.

In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, diagnostic procedures for nervous system disorders may include CT scans, EEGs, MRIs, electrodiagnostic tests (such as EMG or NCV), PET scans, arteriogram (also called angiogram), spinal taps, evoked potentials, myelgram, neurosonography and ultrasound.

Our Doctors and Specialists
The following specialists may play a role in your neurological care and work closely with your primary care provider:

• Neurologist. Specializing in neurology and treating disorders of the brain, spinal cord and nerves, a neurologist sees patients with a wide range of problems and may act as a patient's principal or consulting physician, while the family physician, or primary care physician, is generally in charge of a patient's total health care.

• Neurosurgeon. This surgeon specializes in neurological surgery (or neurosurgery) and manages disorders that affect the central and peripheral nervous systems, including their supportive structures and vascular supply, and pain management. Neurological surgery encompasses disorders of the brain, spine and nerves.

• Physiatrist. A physiatrist specializes in physical and rehabilitation medicine and treats injuries and illnesses that affect how you move. The goal is to decrease pain and enhance performance without surgery.

How to Contact Us
If you believe you or someone you know is having a stroke, dial 9-1-1 immediately.

If you believe you may have a nervous system-related concern, please discuss it with your primary care doctor. If appropriate, your primary care physician will refer you to a neurologist and/or neurosurgeon.
For questions about nervous system disorders, help finding a doctor, or to obtain information on health/wellness classes to support your neurological health, contact our nurses at HealthLink by calling 719-444-CARE (2273).

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