What They Do
A neurologist is a physician who specializes in diagnosing and medically managing conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord, and nerves throughout the body. Neurology is a medical, non-surgical specialty, meaning neurologists manage conditions primarily through diagnosis and medication, referring patients to a neurosurgeon when surgical treatment is needed.
What They Treat
Neurologists manage a wide range of conditions, including headaches and migraines, epilepsy and seizure disorders, stroke, movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, and conditions affecting the peripheral nerves. Many neurologists also further subspecialize in a specific area, such as movement disorders, epilepsy, or conditions affecting memory and cognition.
Training Path
Becoming a neurologist requires completing a medical degree, followed by residency training specifically in neurology. Given how broad the nervous system is, many neurologists go on to complete additional fellowship training focused on a specific subspecialty, allowing for more concentrated expertise in a particular category of neurological conditions.
When to See One
People are commonly referred to a neurologist for symptoms such as recurring headaches, unexplained numbness or weakness, seizures, memory changes, or difficulties with coordination or movement. Neurologists also play a central role in stroke care, both in the acute setting and in ongoing management afterward.
Background
Neurology developed as a distinct medical specialty in the 19th century, as physicians began to more precisely map specific neurological symptoms to particular areas of the brain and nervous system through careful clinical observation. The field advanced considerably further in the 20th and 21st centuries with the development of imaging technologies like MRI and CT scanning, which allowed neurologists to directly visualize the structures they had previously only been able to assess indirectly through clinical examination.