Neurologists are doctors with expanded knowledge of the nervous system. A patient with any of the following problems might be referred to a neurologist for treatment:

  • Tumors on nervous tissue
  • Infections of nervous tissue
  • Sleep disorders (hypothalmic disorders)
  • Neuropathies and radiculopathies
  • Stroke
  • Dementia
  • Epilepsy and seizures
  • Headaches
  • Neuromuscular disorders
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Head trauma
  • Multiple sclerosis

The nervous system is spread through out the entire body interacting and ultimately controlling all bodily systems and functions. The brain and spinal cord make up the central nervous system which is central command for the body and all systems. The brain controls the organs such as the heart, lungs, smooth muscle in the digestive and vascular tracts, blood pressure sensors, kidneys and much more using signals passed through autonomic nerves. The functioning of these types of systems is involuntary for the most part. Reflexes are also hard wired into the body, which a person cannot control. Peripheral nerves and the actions they initiate are considered voluntary. These include motor nerves that signal muscles contractions, sensory nerves that signal the brain about stimuli from tactile sources, smells, tastes, sights, sounds, and temperatures.

Nerve damage can present with many symptoms and depending on the type of nerve affected. Autonomic nerve (involuntary) damage can include many different types of symptoms such as:

  • Incontinence, constipation
  • Sexual dysfunction
  • Changes in sweating patterns (more or less than typical)
  • Dryness of mucosal membranes (mouth, eyes, etc.)
  • Feeling light-headed
  • Lack of sensation in chest (pain, pressure, etc.)