Neurological issues can be minor or life threatening and sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference. If you experience a loss of consciousness, numbness in an arm or leg, a loss of vision, dizziness, difficulty swallowing, speaking or understanding words or a headache that is not relieved by rest and over-the-counter pain medication, go to an emergency room.
For less-urgent concerns there are ways to use the Internet as a safe source of advise.
Safely and Effectively Using Physician Advice Sites
Step 1
Make a list in your notebook of all the symptoms that concern you. Note how long each has occurred and rank its severity from 0 for no impact to 10 for devastating. Note also what makes a symptom worse and what relieves it.
Step 2
On the Internet search for "neurologist advice" plus your most worrisome symptom plus HON. HON stands for Health on the Net, a nonprofit organization that regulates the authenticity and transparency of healthcare information on the Internet.
Check for advice lines at the websites of major medical centers such as Methodist Hospital at the Texas Medical Center, Houston, Texas; Dent Neurological Institute in Buffalo, New York; or the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Hospitals such as these offer advice lines staffed by residents in specialties including neurology. You may have to communicate with a nurse-screener or health advisor before reaching a physician.
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Step 3
Once you find websites that allow you to communicate directly with a physician or other healthcare provider, check for board certification in neurology. This certification assures you that the information you receive will be offered in accord with the directives of the American Association of Neurologists and Neurosurgeons.
Do not expect advice to be personal. On the Internet it is only safe for a provider to give general information and to direct a client to a healthcare provider.
Step 4
Submit a list of your top three or four symptoms, noting when they began and what makes them better or worse. At the same time tell the online provider what you want to know, specifically. You might write, "What are the most likely causes of blurred vision that comes in the morning and then clears by midday?" or "Would you advise me to see a neurologist or a family physician for this problem?"
The more specific you can be, the more accurate the online provider's answers will be, generally.
Do not give your total medical history, but do list the medications you are taking and any surgeries or major illnesses in the last five years.
Step 5
Ask for clarificiation if the online provider uses words you don't understand or if he doesn't answer your question specifically. But be aware that physicians are very cautious about giving medical information, specific to a client, without seeing the client in the office. He will not diagnose or prescribe treatment, but can discuss a list of things that could be happening and a list of tests or treatments to consider.
Following-Up After an Online Health Session
Step 1
Print out any articles the online provider has recommended. Take these with you to your next physician's office visit with notes about what may pertain to your situation. Obtain additional information from the American Association of Neurology.
Step 2
Find a local neurologist or neuropsychiatrist. The neurologist deals with strokes, seizures, MS, Parkinsons' disease and other dysfunctions of the central nervous system. The neuropsychiatrist specializes in those disorders that affect mood, cognitive function and behavior such as ADD, ADHD, dementia, depression and anxiety. These doctors are often hard to find except in major metropolitan areas.
To insure your provider is staying current with medical practices, call the nearest medical school and ask for a referral list. Then check to see who accepts your insurance.
Then schedule an appointment with the neurologist or neuropsychiatrist, securing a referral from your primary care physician if your insurance company requires this, and most will.
Step 3
When you visit a neurologist in person take the notes you made while communicating with the online provider. In essence you are armed with a free second opinion. You'll find many doctors are skeptical about online medical advise but if you've chosen a HON site and an online advice website from a recognized medical center, most physicians will be grateful for the opinion of a colleague.
Step 4
If the advice was helpful, go back to the website and leave a positive referral. This helps to make sure a beneficial site rises in the rankings, making it easier for the next online patient to find a high-quality source of medical advice.
Things You'll Need
- Access to the Internet
- Printer
- Printer paper
- Printer ink
- Notebook
- Pen
