Medical Specialties Nervous System

Medical Specialties Related to Nervous System

• Neurologist specializes in diagnosing and treating diseases and disorders of the nervous system.
• Neurosurgeon specializes in surgery of the nervous system.
• Psychiatrist specializes in diagnosing and treating chemical dependencies, emotional problems, and mental illness.
• Psychologist specializes in evaluating and treating emotional problems and mental illness, holding a doctoral degree but not a medical doctor.

Pathology of the Nervous System

• Cephalgia (headache) is a pain in the head.
• Migraine headache is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light; a warning aura may be perceived.
• Cluster headaches repeatedly affect one side of the head.
• Intracranial pressure is the amount of pressure inside the skull.

Conditions of Head and Meninges

• Encephalocele is a congenital herniation of brain tissue through a gap in the skull.
• Meningocele is a congenital herniation of meninges through a defect in the skull or spinal column.
• Hydrocephalus is an excess of cerebrospinal fluid accumulating in the ventricles of the brain.
• Meningioma is a slow-growing, usually benign tumor of the meninges.
• Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges of the brain and the spinal cord, which can be bacterial or viral.

Abnormal Sensations

• Causalgia is a persistent, severe burning pain following injury to the sensory nerve.
• Hyperesthesia is an abnormal or excessive sensitivity to touch, pain, or other sensory stimuli.
• Paresthesia is a burning, prickling sensation in the hands, arms, legs, or feet.
• Peripheral neuropathy is a disorder of peripheral nerves that produces pain, loss of sensation, and inability to control muscles, particularly in the arms and legs.
• Restless legs syndrome is an uncomfortable feeling in legs, leading to a strong urge to move them, often most noticeable at night or when trying to rest.

Diagnostic, Surgical, and Therapeutic Procedures - Medical

• Lumbar puncture is a procedure that removes cerebrospinal fluid from the spinal canal, used to test for infection, tumors, or other disorders.
• Electroencephalogram (EEG) records the electrical activity of the brain, used to diagnose epilepsy, sleep disorders, and other brain disorders.
• Electromyography (EMG) is a diagnostic test that measures the electrical activity of muscles, used to diagnose nerve damage and muscle disorders.
• Nerve conduction studies measure the speed at which electrical impulses travel along nerves, used to diagnose nerve damage and disorders.
• Computed tomography (CT) scan provides detailed images of the brain, spine, and other parts of the nervous system, used to diagnose tumors, injuries, and other disorders.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan produces detailed images of the brain, spine, and other parts of the nervous system, used to diagnose tumors, injuries, and other disorders.
• Positron emission tomography (PET) scan is an imaging test that shows how the brain and other organs are functioning; used to diagnose tumors, dementia, seizures, and other disorders.

Diagnostic, Surgical, and Therapeutic Procedures - Surgical

• Craniotomy is a surgical procedure to remove a part of the skull to access the brain; used to treat tumors, aneurysms, and other brain disorders.
• Laminectomy is a surgical procedure to remove a part of a vertebra to relieve pressure on the spinal cord; used to treat herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and other spinal disorders.
• Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure to fuse together two or more vertebrae; used to treat spinal instability, scoliosis, and other spinal disorders.
• Stereotactic radiosurgery is a non-invasive procedure that uses radiation to destroy tumors and other abnormal tissues in the brain, used to treat brain tumors, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), and other brain disorders.

Diagnostic, Surgical, and Therapeutic Procedures - Laboratory

• Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis tests for infection, tumors, and other disorders by examining the cerebrospinal fluid extracted by lumbar puncture.
• Blood tests can identify markers for certain neurological conditions, such as inflammation or infection.

Diagnostic, Surgical, and Therapeutic Procedures - Imaging

• X-rays of the skull and spine can detect fractures, tumors, and other abnormalities.

Abbreviations

• CNS Central Nervous System
• PNS Peripheral Nervous System
• CSF Cerebrospinal Fluid
• EEG Electroencephalogram
• EMG Electromyography
• CT Computed Tomography
• MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• PET Positron Emission Tomography

Special Senses

• Vision is one of the five special senses.
• Hearing is one of the five special senses.
• Smell is one of the five special senses.
• Taste is one of the five special senses.
• General senses are involved in feeling touch, temperature, pressure, and pain.

Medical Specialties Related to Eyes

• Ophthalmologist specializes in diagnosing and treating diseases and disorders of the eyes.
• Optometrist provides diagnosis of eye diseases, measuring accuracy of vision and determining the need for corrective lenses.
• Optician designs, fits, and dispenses lenses for vision correction.

Medical Specialties Related to Ears

• Audiologist specializes in the measurement of hearing function and in the rehabilitation of persons with hearing impairments.
• Speech-language pathologist assists patients with problems related to swallowing, speech, and communication disorders.

Diagnostic, Surgical, and Therapeutic Procedures - Diagnostic - Clinical

• Audiometry measures hearing ability.
• Tympanometry measures the movement of the eardrum in response to sound; used to diagnose middle ear disorders.
• Otoscopy examines the ear canal and eardrum; used to diagnose ear infections and other ear disorders.

Diagnostic, Surgical, and Therapeutic Procedures - Surgical

• Myringotomy is a surgical procedure to insert tiny tubes into the eardrum to drain fluid from the middle ear; used to treat chronic middle ear infections.
• Stapedectomy is a surgical procedure to replace the stapes bone in the middle ear; used to treat otosclerosis (a disorder that causes hearing loss).
• Cochlear implant is a surgically implanted electronic device that allows people with severe hearing loss to hear; used to treat severe to profound hearing loss.

Pharmacology

• Anticonvulsants are drugs that prevent seizures.
• Antidepressants are drugs that treat depression.
• Antipsychotics are drugs that treat psychosis.
• Analgesics are drugs that relieve pain.
• Muscle relaxants are drugs that relax muscles.
• Antibiotics are drugs that kill bacteria.
• Antivirals are drugs that kill viruses.

Abbreviations

• ENT Ear, Nose, and Throat
• AMA American Medical Association

The Respiratory System

• Nose, mouth, pharynx, epiglottis, larynx, and trachea are part of the Upper Respiratory Tract.
• Bronchial tree and lungs are part of the Lower Respiratory Tract.
• The thoracic cavity protects the lower respiratory tract.
• The function of the respiratory system is to exchange oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2), deliver air to the lungs, convey oxygen from inhaled air to blood, expel waste products through exhalation, and produce airflow through the larynx, making speech possible.
• ** Respiration** involves four processes: pulmonary ventilation (breathing), external respiration, transport of respiratory gases, and internal respiration.

Test your knowledge about various medical specialties related to the nervous system, including the roles of neurologists, neurosurgeons, psychiatrists, and psychologists. Learn about crucial conditions such as headaches and pathologies affecting the nervous system as you explore this essential field in medicine.