To stay on top of your health, you will likely interact with different types of doctors, including specialists like neurologists. Whether you visit a neurologist after a car accident, a work-related injury, or another issue, it helps to understand what this medical professional does.
Neurology refers to the medical branch focusing on the nervous system, including its disorders. There are two main parts of the nervous system. The central nervous system includes the spinal cord and brain. The peripheral nervous system covers other neural elements, including the sensory receptors, like the skin, ears, and eyes.
Neurologists are doctors specializing in neurology. They treat disorders affecting the nerves, spinal cord, and brain. There are around 16,400 neurologists in the United States.
Neurologists can also have sub-specialties, with just a few of those including headache medicine, geriatric neurology, child neurology, neurocritical care, and neuromuscular medicine.
A neurologist is likely to treat language and speech disorders, spinal cord disorders, and seizure disorders. Other conditions neurologists treat movement disorders, brain infections, headache disorders, multiple sclerosis, and demyelinating central nervous system diseases. A neurologist can also help treat stroke and cerebrovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Some symptoms that typically require treatment from a neurologist include dizziness, confusion, changes in sensations, muscle weakness, and coordination problems.
As part of diagnostics, neurologists commonly complete tests like lumbar punctures, nerve conduction studies, electromyography, and electroencephalography. Other tests they require include magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and computer-assisted tomography.
There is a distinction between a neurologist and a neurosurgeon. Neurosurgeons are surgeons who specialize in neurology, while neurologists do not perform surgery.
Neurologists do perform some procedures, including the NCS/EMG and LP tests mentioned above. Those with specialization can also perform other procedures, such as endovascular procedures and autonomic testing.
If you are one of the 2.8 million people, who are non-fatally injured at work in the United States each year or in one of the numerous car accidents that happen annually, it is wise to visit a neurologist.
Your nervous system runs throughout your entire body, from the tips of your toes to your brain. As such, neurologists have the training to spot problems throughout every part of your body. This increases the chances that they will help you spot injuries from the work injury or car accident early. That can allow you to start treatment before your condition worsens.
In many cases, you won’t notice the symptoms of an injury because of endorphins, but a neurologist will spot the signs. This may even let you start treatment before you notice an issue. That way, you will dramatically reduce the amount of time you have to deal with pain and discomfort.
There are numerous symptoms that a neurologist in New York can treat following an accident or workplace injury. These can include:
Looking at some of the injuries that will cause those symptoms, your neurologist will treat injuries to the soft tissue of your neck or spine, neck or back fractures from whiplash, and concussions or cerebral contusions from the impact.
Everyone is different. What you need when you see a neurologist after a car accident may be different than the treatment someone else needs, even if you were in the same vehicle. Neurologists will personalize their treatment plans based on your specific issues and medical history.
Whether you’re visiting a neurologist after a work-related injury or car accident, their treatment will help you with pain management. Neurologists typically achieve this goal by getting to the root of your issues and treating it at the source. They supplement that with separate pain management methods. These can include anti-inflammatory and pain medicines, either over-the-counter or prescription. They can also cast or brace to immobilize the injured area and use the RICE method (rest, ice, compression, elevation).
Regardless of how good you feel and how extensive you think your injuries are, it is wise to see a neurologist after any major incident, including workplace injuries and car accidents. At the very least, visiting a specialist will help your claim. This will increase the chances that you will not have to pay for the treatment yourself.
By visiting a neurologist right away, even if you do not feel any symptoms, you are documenting accident-related injuries. More importantly, neurologists are likely to spot issues that you may overlook, even before you start feeling the injury’s impact. This is essential for the claims process as it documents your injuries early, letting you connect them to the accident. Suppose you were not to visit the neurologist until days or weeks later when your symptoms appeared. In that case, the insurance company may claim the symptoms are unrelated to your accident and refuse to cover the treatment—seeing your neurologist as soon as possible can prevent this issue.
One of the great things about seeing a neurologist after a work-related injury or a car accident is that you will not have to worry about paying out of pocket in most cases. If you get injured on the job, your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance should cover the cost. If you sustain injuries from an auto accident, your New York no-fault insurance should cover neurological consultation and treatment.
The only requirement for the neurologist visits to get insurance coverage is to show that the treatment was medically necessary. Neurologists familiar with treating patients after workplace injuries or motor vehicle accidents will have no difficulty supporting medical necessity. They have experience in helping patients to get well and ensuring they get the proper treatment and coverage they deserve.
According to the New York City Police Department, there were 8,839 motor vehicle accidents reported in April 2022. 4,052 people sustained injuries in those collisions, including drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists.
You might expect these people to have broken bones, bruises, and cuts. Many of them also sustain neurologic injuries, and some of them aren’t apparent unless diagnosed by a neurologist. Several warning signs can indicate that you need to visit a neurologist after a car accident.
If you experience any of these symptoms, you should visit a car accident neurologist immediately:
Neurologists focus on problems with your central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord. They treat neurological disorders and diseases like movement disorders, multiple sclerosis, neuromuscular diseases, temporo-mandibular joint disorder, spinal cord injury or spinal cord disorder, sleep disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, and more.
Some have specialties like pediatric neurology (child neurology) or neurosurgery. Clinical neurophysiology is focused on diagnosing problems. Pain management specialists work in conjunction with neurologists to help patients’ manage their pain.
Car accidents can cause injuries to your neuromuscular system. However; they can take time to develop fully. Do not wait! At the first sign of a problem, you should visit a neurologist.
Auto accident victims frequently experience some common neurologic disorders or injuries.
Even mild traumatic brain injuries present significant risks to your health. Failing to catch brain injuries in time can be fatal. Depending on the severity of your brain injury, you may experience symptoms including:
Impact forces in a car collision can damage brain cells and cause changes in brain chemistry, making you unable to function correctly. These injuries can have several complications, so it’s vital to make an appointment with a car accident neurologist if you suspect a concussion.
Auto collisions can put pressure on your peripheral nerves or damage them in other ways. These issues can cause various symptoms and require different types of treatment. Visit a car accident neurologist for diagnosis.
Auto crashes often cause spinal injuries, which can affect your discs, vertebrae, and spinal cord. These injuries can have secondary complications and can have lifelong consequences. and could require surgical treatment.
Whiplash typically develops over a few hours or days after a car accident. Whiplash can damage your vertebrae, discs, muscles, ligaments, nerves, and soft tissues around your neck.
When you want to consult with the best neurologist in NYC, turn to the trusted team at Medical Clinics of New York City. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
Do you want to find a top-rated neurologist in New York, NY, who can thoroughly diagnose and treat conditions relating to your brain’s health? Reach out to Medical Clinics of New York City and you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for. Our experienced team consists of a board-certified neurologist, physiatrist, chiropractor, and other physicians.
Don’t let your search for the best neurologist in New York City lead you anywhere else. Contact our clinic today to consult with a compassionate and professional doctor who can help you overcome neurological injuries, such as concussions, spinal injuries, and traumatic brain injuries.
Read some of our patient reviews to hear about the experiences others had while working with our healthcare team.
When it comes to finding a physician you can trust, a great way to start your search is by turning to your loved ones. They can share their own experiences with doctors and recommend certain physicians to you. To find a neurologist, in particular, reach out to those who have sought treatment for some type of neurological issue.
You can also ask your primary care physician to refer you to a neurologist. They’ll have a list of providers that they usually recommend to patients for certain medical conditions that fall outside of their specialty.
Remember that every patient’s treatment plan differs, so you don’t have to seek out others who have the same type of injury as you. For example, if you endure a traumatic brain injury in a car accident, you can ask a friend who got a concussion in a fall about the doctor they used for treatment. The two injuries come with different symptoms and recovery periods, but with the help of the best neurologist in NYC, you can overcome any type of head injury.
You can focus on the doctor’s credentials and treatment plan when you ask friends and family for a recommendation, but be sure to ask about the level of empathy and compassion the doctor has too. A study from the Pew Research Center finds that 87% of patients say doctors carefully listen to their concerns, and 84% believe the doctor genuinely cares for their health and well-being. 23% of survey respondents feel that their doctor rushes them, which makes it seem that they don’t fully care about the patient’s major concerns.
After gathering referrals from loved ones, anyone looking for the best neurologist in NYC should then research those recommendations thoroughly. The top priority should be checking out each doctor’s credentials to gauge their experience level and expertise. Look at the following information to ensure that a physician meets some of the top qualifications in their field:
Recent data from the National Institutes of Health show that one in three providers face a medical malpractice lawsuit. Research each of your prospective neurologists’ history of malpractice suits and any disciplinary actions against them.
During this search, you should be able to gather information on the doctor’s availability. If you want to meet online with a neurologist rather than going to a clinic for a consultation, look for providers offering telehealth services. The use of telehealth medicine has grown over 40% since 2010, with 76% of U.S. hospitals connecting physicians to patients via telehealth services, according to the American Hospital Association.
The final way to determine the best neurologist in NYC who can help you is by using your insurance information. Look for doctors who accept your insurance plan and, if so, contact them to see if they’re accepting new patients.
Urban Institute reports that 15.5% of insured adults have trouble finding a healthcare provider. The primary reasons behind this struggle are that the doctor does not currently accept new patients or does not accept a patient’s existing health insurance plan. If you find a doctor who checks both of these boxes, don’t wait to make an appointment, or you might miss out on receiving high-quality care.
Let Medical Clinics of New York City treat your head injury with the utmost care. Learn more about us before scheduling an appointment.
For the treatment of a neurological condition, turn to Medical Clinics of New York City. We proudly serve residents in New York, NY, and are happy to put you on the path to healing after any type of head injury. Reach out to us today to learn more about our services and how we can treat your injury.
Our doctors accept most insurance plans, including workers’ compensation, no-fault, and PIP (personal injury protection). Same-day appointments may be available. Call (877) 465-7360 to request an appointment.
Learn why you should see a neurologist for your overall health and well-being and don’t hesitate to make an appointment with physicians at Medical Clinics of New York City.
We know that when you’re looking for a board-certified neurologist after a car accident, you need and deserve personal, compassionate, competent treatment. It’s important to seek medical attention after a car accident with experienced New York neurology associates. The team at Medical Clinics of New York City is here to help you. Our health professionals are trained in advanced diagnostic and treatment options for various neurologic conditions caused by car accidents.
We have offices throughout the city for your convenience and top-notch medical personnel staff each location. Please call or text us at 1-877-INJRD 60 (1-877-465-7360), email us, submit our quick contact form, or speak to someone 24/7 using live chat. Our doctors accept most insurance plans including no-fault and workers’ compensation. Existing or new patients can schedule an appointment today so we can help you can begin your road to recovery.
We get a lot of questions about our clinic and what it’s like to work with a neurologist. Get the answers to common questions patients have.
Doctors refer patients to neurologists for issues like seizures, consistent headaches, migraines, or vertigo. Head injuries like concussions also require treatment from a neurologist.
Neurologists always check a patient’s motor skills, balance and coordination, nerve function, and mental status.
Contact the best neurologist in NYC when you experience symptoms like memory loss, loss of consciousness, or seizures. You should also see a neurologist if you sustain a traumatic brain injury due to an accident.
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The doctors of Medical Clinics of New York City are dedicated to quality care, comprehensive services, and caring customer service in a warm, stress-free office setting.
We’re conveniently located in New York City with several offices to serve you.