Medical terminology is as alien to ordinary people as legal jargon. Every industry or niche has its own nomenclatures and they can be very confusing unless you are astutely aware of what they truly mean. There are many medical terms which you can guess and perhaps understand what they mean because you know the literally meanings. But terms like neurologist and neurosurgeon can be dumbfounding. Since both sound similar and one doesn’t really know the technicalities of what a neurologist or neurosurgeon does, one is indeed perplexed.
Neurologist: Explained
A doctor who specializes in diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the nervous system and the brain is a neurologist. There are pediatric neurologists who are the same doctors specializing in diagnosing and treating neurological disorders in children. A neurologist would typically have an undergraduate degree, one must have attended the four years of medical school, followed it up with a year of internship and finally have at least three years of specialized training. A neurologist should desirably undergo additional training to develop a specialization in any specific area within neurology, for instance epilepsy or muscle disorders, stroke or something else.
Neurosurgeon: Explained
Neurosurgeon or neurological surgeon specializes in neurological surgery. Neurological surgery or neurosurgery is a specialty which involves diagnosing and treating injuries of the spine, in the brain and peripheral nerves in the spine and the brain. A neurosurgeon specializes in surgical and nonsurgical treatments of neurological disorders and particularly neurological ailments caused by injuries, anomalies and other graver problems.
Difference Between Neurologist and Neurosurgeon
A neurologist is the first point of medical intervention for neurological problems, much like a general physician or physiotherapist in cases of musculoskeletal problems. A neurosurgeon deals in aggravated cases of neurological disorders. However, both a neurologist and a neurosurgeon may take care of a patient at the same time. They can work in tandem. A neurosurgeon may be the neurologist for some.
A neurologist is the principal care provider so he or she attends to frequent attending. The conditions that usually require the expertise of a neurologist include Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease among others. A neurologist would also treat patients who have chronic headaches, suffering from concussion and stroke among others. Neurologists don’t perform surgeries. But they attend to post surgical care and continued treatment.
A neurosurgeon treats trauma in the spine and brain or head, cerebrovascular disorders like aneurysms, clogged arteries that can cause strokes, birth defects, chronic low back pain, spinal and brain tumors, abnormalities in nerves in the face and arms, legs, hands and feet.
