Neurologist vs. Neurosurgeon - What Is the Difference?
While neurologists and neurosurgeons both specialize in the management of the central nervous system (the brain and the spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system (all nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord), it is an oversimplification to say that the only difference between the two, is that neurosurgeons operate and neurologists don’t. More than anything, their roles are complementary and will overlap in some cases, but for the most part, the nuances end there.
Get the 101 on Neurologists
It is true that neurologists specialize only in the non-surgical management of the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system disorders. Neurologists manage a hefty basket of debilitative ailments ranging from migraine headaches, stroke, epilepsy, and dementia. They also specialize in more severe diseases that are currently incurable, like Lou Gehrig’s disease (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – ALS), multiple sclerosis, or Parkinson’s disease. Neurologists work on the front line for diagnosis and treatment recommendations.
When someone experiences unexplained symptoms like chronic headaches, pain, dizziness, mobility issues, numbness, or worsening memory, they might go to their primary care doctor first. If their symptoms are linked to a more serious neurological condition, then their doctor will refer them to a neurologist.
The Tools Neurologists Rely On
The greatest tool of the neurologist is the neurological exam. A neurologist is a specialist that examines your entire nervous system – brain and spinal cord, and the peripheral nerves that network the entire body. A neurologist can get to the heart of the problem by testing the functioning of a patient’s nervous system, like motor function, balance, and sensory testing.
The best neurologists employ the latest research and methods to determine the best course of treatment for each of their patients. Modern medical techniques can be used to prevent strokes or inhibit the development of Parkinson’s disease. These techniques can produce very favorable outcomes without the need for surgery.
Some common neurological conditions like dementia cannot be treated surgically, so these are exclusively treated by neurologists in Florida. While modern neurology has progressed in leaps and bounds, there are still many complex conditions that cannot be fully managed by this type of specialist alone.
Get the 101 on Neurosurgeons
Neurosurgeons specialize in all surgical interventions of the entire nervous system, central and peripheral. There are a vast number of conditions that require surgery. These include trauma, tumors, vascular disorders, and degenerative diseases of the spine – all conditions that cannot be treated by a neurologist alone.
The key difference: Neurologists are specialists in medical treatments and neurosurgeons are specialists in surgical interventions.
Where Do Neurosurgeons and Neurologists Overlap?
There is some very notable treatment overlaps between a neurologist and neurosurgeon. One is the treatment of Parkinson’s disease (and to a lesser extent, epilepsy) which can now be treated with the revolutionary method of deep brain stimulation (shown to reduce the effects of tremors).
Deep Brain Stimulation
For example, once Parkinson’s is diagnosed by a neurologist, a neurosurgeon will place the deep brain stimulation apparatus. This is an electrode that is attached to the brain with a wire running under the skin to a pulse generator typically implanted under the collar bone.
Once implanted, the neurologist will carefully monitor the impact on the patient’s nervous system. The patient will work with their neurosurgeon and their neurologist for the duration of the deep brain stimulation procedure.
Working Together to Advance Tumor Treatments
Another good example of the close cooperation between neurologists and neurosurgeons is the treatment of tumors. Tumors in the nervous system can appear in many configurations, with the primary classifications being benign, premalignant, or malignant.
Some benign tumors may not require treatment. Others can be treated with radiation or some special forms of medication, but malignant tumors often require surgical intervention.
Since both specializations require ongoing research, neurologists and neurosurgeons are helping each other progress even faster in this specialty. Plus, their patients undoubtedly benefit from this tandem approach.
How Hard is it to become a Neurosurgeon in Florida?
Other than operating on their patients, it should be noted that obtaining residency is extremely difficult. Neurosurgery is among the highest of all specializations (ranked 3rd just behind dermatology and plastic surgery) while competitiveness for a neurologist residency ranked 16th. Additionally, neurosurgery requires a longer residency (7 years) than that of any other specialty and is widely known as the most rigorous of all specializations to complete.
Neurosurgeon residents do constant research and publish on average the most papers, abstracts, and presentations (18.5) – more than double that of neurologists (7.0).
The average workload for neurosurgeons is extremely high as they must take on trauma incidents in addition to their scheduled surgeries and ongoing research. Due to the increasingly heavy workload of neurosurgeon residents, the ACGME (Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education) has officially restricted their workweek to 80 hours. The best neurosurgeons often exceed these limits since they perform surgeries that can take up to 18 hours+.
What Impacts the Average Workload for Neurologists?
The average workload for a neurologist largely depends on their sub-specialization and preferred field. Other factors include the amount of inpatient vs outpatient care they must handle. For example, a neurologist who prefers internal medicine and working in the ICU will have more demanding procedural tasks to perform, like chest tubes, intubations, and external ventricular drains.
Some neurologists will take it a step further and specialize in vascular neurology. This involves neuro-interventional practices that are very demanding because they are purely procedural. Vascular neurologists will perform minimally invasive procedures to treat various vessel strokes and aneurysms. Moreover, they may be called in any time of day or night to treat a patient. Vascular neurology is the most competitive sub-specialty of neurology and the most demanding job for a neurologist.
Facing a Growing Responsibility
Additionally, it is important to note that most nervous system dysfunctions and diseases are chronic and progressive and this can be very taxing on the practitioner. The neurologist’s ongoing treatment is dedicated to helping patients live a better life for the rest of their life.
A 2017 JAMA report estimated at least 200 million Americans (60% of the population) were afflicted by at least one neurological disorder, like migraines, stroke, or dementia. Sadly it seems more neurological disorders are on the rise in Florida. So neurologists have more than enough patients to treat, with some requiring years or even decades of treatment.
Conclusion
Both neurologists and neurosurgeons specialize in treating the nervous system. While neurologists deal with the non-surgical needs of their patients, neurosurgeons handle the surgeries.
A neurologist’s patients suffer from common nervous system disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, migraines, seizures, dementia, and strokes. These can all be treated medically without surgery. When a patient comes to a neurologist with headaches caused by a tumor in the brain, then they will be referred to a good neurosurgeon in Florida. Patients who have suffered trauma-induced injuries (traumatic brain injuries for example) are also brought directly to neurosurgeons.
If you need to schedule an appointment with a neurosurgeon in Florida, contact the experts at Florida Surgery Consultants today! Give us a call at (888) 411-6824 or fill out the form on the right side of the page.
