Neurosurgery is a specialty of medicine focusing on conditions involving the nervous system. Neurosurgery is not strictly limited to the treatment of nervous conditions through surgery, it also focuses on prevention, diagnosis, and rehab.
There are different components of the nervous system, and each of these components is susceptible to disease and malfunction.
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The Nervous System, which contains:
- Brain
- Spinal Cord
- Peripheral nerves
Each of these areas works together for the purpose of communication. Nerves control everything you do and are just as important as blood and oxygen. You would not be able to move, breath, or even speak without nerves.
Before you do anything, there has to be communication between the brain and the area of the body you need to carry out the task. One of the biggest issues physicians run into when treating conditions of the nervous system is the fact that nerve cells do not regenerate; therefore, nerve damage does not heal. As science progresses, the goal is that treatment will allow for new nerve cells and heal conditions like paralysis.
Conditions of the Nervous System:
- Brain Tumors
- Spinal Cord Tumors
- Brain Aneurysms
- Epilepsy
- Headache
- Stroke
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Memory Disorders
- Cervical Stenosis
- Essential Tremor
Diagnostic Testing
- Angiography
- Fluoroscopy
- Biopsy
- Cerebrospinal fluid analysis
- CT scans
- X-ray
- MRI
All of these tests help the surgeon to figure out what problem you have. You do not want to get treated for the wrong thing. Both medications and procedures can help with treatment. Sometimes there is no treatment for certain progressive diseases, but medication can slow down the progression of certain diseases and mask symptoms.
Procedures
- Deep Brain Stimulation – A device connected to electrodes. The device sits in the chest cavity, and the electrodes rest on parts of the brain causing the problems. Deep Brain Stimulation helps with Parkinson’s and Epilepsy.
- Brain Mapping – A system used to look at the brain and map out where abnormalities may be. Tumors are commonly seen through brain mapping.
- CyberKnife – A form of radiation therapy that targets tumors and lesions. This therapy is so specific that healthy tissues are not affected by the radiation.
Treatment
These procedures help with the treatment of certain nervous conditions, but others may require medication. Anti-seizure medication works not only for epilepsy but tremors as well. Sometimes physical therapy works. Carbidopa-Levodopa is one of the most common medications used for movement disorders like Parkinson’s Disease and tremors. For certain forms of epilepsy, surgery helps to manage it. Removing certain structures of the brain have been proven to improve epilepsy and for some people treat it.
Neurosurgery is a broad topic that does not only focus on the brain and spinal cord but the nerves all over the body. Understanding the aspects of neurosurgery can help you get the treatment you need. You may not have previously understood everything neurosurgery entails, but hopefully, this lays it out for you. If you are need of a neurosurgeon, contact one of the amazing Top10MD physicians. You will get the best care and be given cutting edge treatment.
