procedures

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tennik

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I am wondering what the three most common procedures done by neurologists are. I am very curious about this field.

Thanks for the insight,

Tennik
 
Previously, probably EMG, EMG, EEG. Now it's EMG, Botox, EEG. Other interesting procedures include tPA, sweat test, and tilt test (may not be neurologist). Overall, Neurology is not a very procedure-based specialty.
 
Yeah, Botox is awesome! It's the new "wonder drug" -- dystonia, spasticity, migraine and other headaches, back pain, myofascial pain, hyperhidrosis, etc etc etc. Easy to do and for the true neurologic problems (dystonia, spasticity) it actually works great (I'm somewhat on the fence on the chronic pain uses based on personal experience).
Don't forget lumbar punctures.
As for EEG's, remember that the neurologist doesn't actually "do" the procedure -- just interprets the data. In some practices this is also the case for many neurophysiclogy procedures as well such as nerve conduction and sometimes even EMG -- they have electrophysiology techs who do the actual study and the doc just double checks and interprets the data.
Some neurologists get involved to one extent or another in interventional pain management (nerve blocks, epidurals, etc) but overall this is a small #.
Tilt tables are usually done by cardiologists
 
So when I become a full neurologist, do you get certified in Botox or do you have to a fellowship in pain managment or headache? How does it work?
 
There is no formal "certification" for administering Botox as far as I know (if there is, I'm in trouble). It's something you just pick up in training and practice, like doing LPs and such. There are any number of continuing education programs you can go to for a day or 2 to learn more about it.
Certain subspecialty fellowships within neurology are more likely than others to use it (pain mgmt, movement disorders, neuromuscular are far more likely to use botox than epileptologists, for example) but you don't "need" to do any of these fellowships to be allowed to give botox; any general neurologist should be able to pick up the appropriate techniques during residency or a CME program.
 
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