Neurosurgery is a medical branch dedicated to the treatment and diagnosis of diseases of the spinal cord, brain, spinal column and peripheral nerves. A neurosurgeon is a specialist whose field of activity includes the identification and treatment of disorders of the nervous system. What do neurosurgeons treat? You will learn a more detailed answer to this question from this article.
What diseases does a neurosurgeon treat?
The working areas of a neurosurgeon include the skull, brain and spinal cord, as well as the spinal column. Therefore, it is obvious that neurosurgeons treat various pathologies affecting the nervous system of patients.
The tasks of a neurosurgeon include surgical treatment of the following pathologies:
- benign and malignant neoplasms in the skull area, including at its base (hemangioblastomas, astrocytomas, pituitary adenomas, abscesses, neurinomas, etc.);
- all types of brain and skull injuries;
- congenital or acquired developmental disorders of the brain and skull;
- injuries to the spine, such as spinal fractures;
- circulatory disorders of the brain;
- diseases of peripheral nerves(traumatic injuries, etc.).
Where do they train to be neurosurgeons?
In order to become a neurosurgeon, you need to graduate from a medical university with a degree in General Medicine. However, after receiving a diploma, a doctor does not yet become a neurosurgeon: additional training is required, that is, an internship. Only after passing all the necessary exams is a specialist qualified.
Studying in an internship is quite difficult, because a neurosurgeon who treats various diseases of the nervous system must be well versed in many areas of modern medicine, speak English, have clinical thinking and have a “firm hand”, because any careless movement the patient's life depends. A neurosurgeon who treats a patient must be completely confident in his actions.
Requirements for the personality of a neurosurgeon
Don't think that anyone who graduated from a medical university can do neurosurgery. In this profession, such personal qualities as self-confidence, accuracy, psychological stability are extremely important.
Neurosurgical operations are considered one of the most difficult: the operating field is often small, many operations are performed under a microscope. In addition, a specialist must understand not only the anatomy of the nervous system, but also the equipment with which most of these operations are performed today. After all, a neurosurgeon is a doctor,who treats patients with special equipment, which is quite difficult to work with.
When should I see a neurosurgeon?
The main symptoms that indicate that it is time to make an appointment with a neurosurgeon include:
- Numbness in the fingers, pain in the hand, dizziness and sudden unreasonable drops in blood pressure.
- Nausea, tinnitus, headaches, and learning difficulties after a head injury.
- Frequent headaches with no known cause.
- Disorders of sensation and movement of limbs.
- A pathology of the brain or spine detected during MRI.
Knowing what neurosurgeons treat, you can see a doctor in time and avoid the development of the pathological process.
What types of diagnostic procedures does a neurosurgeon perform?
We told you what neurosurgeons treat. However, the tasks of this specialist include not only therapy, but also the identification of pathological processes. So, a neurosurgeon can carry out the following diagnostic measures:
- lumbar puncture (to determine intracranial pressure);
- CT scan (to detect tumors, brain displacements, hydrocephalus, etc.);
- Magnetic resonance imaging, which allows you to get pictures of nerve structures with very high resolution. Thanks to MRI, it is possible to see the slightest pathological changes in the head andspinal cord;
- echoencephalography, that is, the display of ultrasonic waves that are reflected from the area under study. EEG is prescribed to detect hematomas and hemorrhages, as well as hydrocephalus. It can be performed directly at the patient's bed, so this procedure is quite in demand in neurosurgical practice;
- positron emission tomography for the detection of neoplasms, as well as the diagnosis of epilepsy and strokes;
- angiography, which allows you to study the pathological processes affecting the vessels of the brain.
Imagining what a neurosurgeon treats in adults and children, it is easy to understand that this profession requires considerable knowledge, the highest qualifications and, of course, the desire to help people. By the way, if the last factor is absent, then it is better to refuse to work as a doctor.
