Quick Facts: Brain, Spinal Cord, and Nerve Disorders

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Cranial Nerve Disorders

• Bell Palsy
  • What is Bell palsy?
  • What causes Bell palsy?
  • What are the symptoms of Bell palsy?
  • How can doctors tell if I have Bell palsy?
  • How do doctors treat Bell palsy?

Dementia

• Alzheimer Disease
  • What is Alzheimer disease?
  • What causes Alzheimer disease?
  • What are the symptoms of Alzheimer disease?
  • How can doctors tell if someone has Alzheimer disease?
  • How do doctors treat Alzheimer disease?
    • Care for caregivers
  • How can I prevent Alzheimer disease?

• Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)
  • What is chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)?
  • What causes CTE?
  • What are the symptoms of CTE?
  • How can doctors tell if I have CTE?
  • How do doctors treat CTE?
    • Care for caregivers

• Dementia
  • What is dementia?
  • What causes dementia?
  • What are the symptoms of dementia?
  • How can doctors tell if someone has dementia?
  • How do doctors treat dementia?
    • Care for caregivers

Headaches

• Overview of Headaches
  • What causes a headache?
  • When should I see a doctor for a headache?
  • What will happen at my doctor visit?
  • How do doctors treat headaches?

• Cluster Headaches
  • What is a cluster headache?
  • What causes a cluster headache?
  • What are the symptoms of a cluster headache?
  • How can doctors tell if I have a cluster headache?
  • How do doctors treat cluster headaches?

• Migraines
  • What are migraines?
  • What causes migraines?
    • What triggers migraines?
  • What are the symptoms of migraines?
    • Warning symptoms of migraine
  • How can doctors tell if I have migraines?
  • How do doctors treat migraines?
  • How can I prevent migraines?

• Tension-Type Headaches
  • What are tension-type headaches?
  • What causes tension-type headaches?
  • What are the symptoms of tension-type headaches?
  • How can doctors tell if I have tension-type headaches?
  • How do doctors treat tension-type headaches?

Stroke (CVA)

• Stroke
  • What is a stroke?
  • What causes a stroke?
    • What are the risk factors for having a stroke?
  • What are the symptoms of a stroke?
  • What are the long-term problems after a stroke?
  • How will my doctor know if I had a stroke?
  • How do doctors treat a stroke?
    • In the hospital
    • After you leave the hospital
  • Can you recover after a stroke?

• Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIA)
  • What is a transient ischemic attack (TIA)?
  • What causes a TIA?
  • What are the symptoms of a TIA?
  • How will my doctor know if I had a TIA?
  • How do doctors treat a TIA?

• Intracerebral Hemorrhage
  • What is an intracerebral hemorrhage?
  • What causes an intracerebral hemorrhage?
  • What are the symptoms of an intracerebral hemorrhage?
  • How will my doctor know if I had an intracerebral hemorrhage?
  • How do doctors treat an intracerebral hemorrhage?

• Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
  • What is a subarachnoid hemorrhage?
  • What causes a subarachnoid hemorrhage?
  • What are the symptoms of a subarachnoid hemorrhage?
  • How will my doctor know if I had a subarachnoid hemorrhage?
  • How do doctors treat a subarachnoid hemorrhage?

Movement Disorders

• Dystonia
  • What is dystonia?
  • What causes dystonia?
  • What are the symptoms of dystonia?
  • How can doctors tell if I have dystonia?
  • How do doctors treat dystonia?

• Huntington Disease
  • What is Huntington disease?
  • What causes Huntington disease?
  • What are the symptoms of Huntington disease?
  • How can doctors tell if I have Huntington disease?
  • How do doctors treat Huntington disease?

• Parkinson Disease (PD)
  • What is Parkinson disease?
  • What causes Parkinson disease?
  • What are the symptoms of Parkinson disease?
  • How can doctors tell if I have Parkinson disease?
  • How do doctors treat Parkinson disease?
    • Caregiver and end-of-life issues
  • Where can I get more information about Parkinson disease?

• Parkinsonism
  • What is parkinsonism?
  • What causes parkinsonism?
  • What are the symptoms of parkinsonism?
  • How can doctors tell if I have parkinsonism?
  • How do doctors treat parkinsonism?

• Tremor
  • What is a tremor?
  • When should I see a doctor?
  • What causes a tremor?
  • What will happen at my doctor visit?
  • What tests will I need?
  • How do doctors treat a tremor?

Seizure Disorders

• Seizure Disorders
  • What is a seizure disorder?
  • What is epilepsy?
  • What causes a seizure disorder?
  • What happens during a seizure?
  • What will doctors do after I have a seizure?
  • How do doctors treat seizure disorders?
  • What should I do if someone is having a seizure?

Symptoms of Brain, Spinal Cord, and Nerve Disorders

• Memory Loss
  • What is memory loss?
  • When should I see a doctor for memory loss?
  • What causes memory loss?
  • What will happen at my doctor visit?
  • How do doctors treat memory loss?
  • What can I do to help cope with memory loss?

• Muscle Cramps
  • What are muscle cramps?
  • What causes muscle cramps?
  • When should I see a doctor for muscle cramps?
  • What will happen at my doctor visit?
  • How do doctors treat muscle cramps?
  • How can I prevent muscle cramps?

• Numbness
  • What is numbness?
  • When should I see a doctor for numbness?
  • What causes numbness?
  • What will happen at my doctor visit?
  • How do doctors treat numbness?

• Weakness
  • What is weakness?
  • When should I see a doctor?
  • What causes weakness?
  • What will happen at my doctor visit?
  • How do doctors treat weakness?

Meningitis

• Bacterial Meningitis
  • What is bacterial meningitis?
  • What causes bacterial meningitis?
    • What raises my risk of getting bacterial meningitis?
  • What are the symptoms of bacterial meningitis?
    • Symptoms of meningitis in infants and babies
    • Symptoms of meningitis in older children and adults
    • What are the complications of bacterial meningitis?
  • How can doctors tell if I have bacterial meningitis?
  • How do doctors treat bacterial meningitis?
  • How can I prevent acute bacterial meningitis?

• Viral Meningitis
  • What is viral meningitis?
  • What causes viral meningitis?
  • What are the symptoms of viral meningitis?
  • How can doctors tell if I have viral meningitis?
  • How do doctors treat viral meningitis?

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Related Disorders

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
  • What is multiple sclerosis (MS)?
  • What causes MS?
  • What are the symptoms of MS?
  • How can doctors tell if I have MS?
  • How do doctors treat MS?
  • Where can I find more information on MS?

Sleep Disorders

• Insomnia and Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS)
  • What are insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness?
  • What causes insomnia or excessive daytime sleepiness?
  • What are the symptoms of insomnia and EDS?
  • When should I see a doctor for a sleep problem?
  • How can doctors tell if I have insomnia or EDS?
    • What are sleep tests?
  • How do doctors treat insomnia and EDS?

• Narcolepsy
  • What is narcolepsy?
  • What causes narcolepsy?
  • What are the symptoms of narcolepsy?
  • How can doctors tell if I have narcolepsy?
    • What are sleep tests?
  • How do doctors treat narcolepsy?

• Snoring
  • What is snoring?
  • When should I see a doctor about my snoring?
  • What causes snoring?
  • What will happen at my doctor's visit?
  • How do doctors treat snoring?

Peripheral Nerve Disorders

• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
  • What is ALS?
  • What are the symptoms of ALS?
  • How can doctors tell if I have ALS?
  • How do doctors treat ALS?

• Myasthenia Gravis
  • What is myasthenia gravis?
  • What causes myasthenia gravis?
  • What are the symptoms of myasthenia gravis?
    • What is myasthenic crisis?
  • How can doctors tell if I have myasthenia gravis?
  • How do doctors treat myasthenia gravis?

• Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)
  • What is GBS?
  • What causes GBS?
  • What are the symptoms of GBS?
  • How can doctors tell if I have GBS?
  • How do doctors treat GBS?

Spinal Cord Disorders

• Overview of Spinal Cord Disorders
  • What is your spine?
  • What is your spinal cord?
  • What are spinal nerves?
  • What are spine and spinal cord disorders?
    • Spine disorders
    • Spinal cord disorders
  • What causes a spinal cord disorder?
  • What are the symptoms of a spinal cord disorder?
  • How can doctors tell if I have a spinal cord disorder?
  • How do doctors treat spinal cord disorders?

• Spinal Cord Compression
  • What is spinal cord compression?
  • What causes spinal cord compression?
  • What are the symptoms of spinal cord compression?
  • How can doctors tell if I have spinal cord compression?
  • How do doctors treat spinal cord compression?

Diagnosis of Brain, Spinal Cord, and Nerve Disorders

• Spinal Tap
  • What is a spinal tap?
  • Why would I need a spinal tap?
  • What happens during a spinal tap?
  • What are the problems with a spinal tap?

• Electroencephalography (EEG)
  • What is an EEG?
  • Why would I need an EEG?
  • What happens during an EEG?
  • What are the problems with an EEG?

• Electromyography (EMG) and Nerve Conduction Studies
  • What are EMG and nerve conduction studies?
  • Why would I need an EMG or nerve conduction study?
  • What happens during an EMG or nerve conduction study?
  • What are the problems with an EMG or nerve conduction study?

Brain Infections

• Overview of Brain Infections
  • How do infections get in your brain?
  • What are the symptoms of a brain infection?
  • How do doctors diagnose brain infections?
  • How do doctors treat brain infections?

• Brain Abscess
  • What is a brain abscess?
  • What causes a brain abscess?
  • What are the symptoms of a brain abscess?
  • How can doctors tell if I have a brain abscess?
  • How do doctors treat a brain abscess?

• Encephalitis
  • What is encephalitis?
  • What causes encephalitis?
  • What are the symptoms of encephalitis?
  • How can doctors tell if I have encephalitis?
  • How do doctors treat encephalitis?

• Rabies
  • What is rabies?
  • What causes rabies?
  • What are the symptoms of rabies?
  • How can doctors tell if I have rabies?
  • How do doctors treat rabies?
  • How can I prevent rabies?

Coma and Impaired Consciousness

• Stupor and Coma
  • What is stupor?
  • What is a coma?
  • What causes stupor or coma?
  • What are the symptoms of stupor or coma?
  • How can doctors tell if a person is in a stupor or coma?
  • How do doctors treat stupor and coma?

• Vegetative State
  • What is a vegetative state?
  • What causes a vegetative state?
  • What are the symptoms of a vegetative state?
  • How can doctors tell if someone is in a vegetative state?
  • How do doctors treat someone in a vegetative state?

• Brain Death
  • What is brain death?
  • What causes brain death?
  • How can doctors tell if someone is brain dead?
  • What do doctors do if someone is brain dead?

Tumors of the Nervous System

• Overview of Brain Tumors
  • What is a brain tumor?
  • What are the symptoms of brain tumors?
  • How can doctors tell if I have a brain tumor?
  • How do doctors treat a brain tumor?
    • End-of-life issues

Pain

• Overview of Pain
  • What causes pain?
  • How do doctors treat pain?
    • What pain treatments don't involve medicines?
  • What are opioids?
    • What are the side effects of opioids?
    • Will I get addicted to opioids?
  • What are NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)?
    • What are the side effects of NSAIDs?
  • What are other pain medicines?

• Chronic Pain
  • What is chronic pain?
  • What causes chronic pain?
  • What are the symptoms of chronic pain?
  • How do doctors treat chronic pain?
    • Pain medicine

• Neuropathic Pain
  • What is neuropathic pain?
  • What causes neuropathic pain?
  • What are the symptoms of neuropathic pain?
  • How can doctors tell if I have neuropathic pain?
  • How do doctors treat neuropathic pain?

Biology of the Nervous System

• Overview of the Nervous System
  • What is the nervous system?
  • How does your nervous system work?
  • What can go wrong with your nervous system?
  • How does age affect the nervous system?

• The Brain
  • What is the brain?
    • What are the parts of the brain?
  • How does the brain work?
  • What can go wrong with the brain?

• The Spinal Cord
  • What is the spinal cord?
  • How does the spinal cord work?
    • What are spinal nerves?
  • What can go wrong with the spinal cord?

• The Nerves
  • What are nerves?
  • How do nerves work?
  • What can go wrong with nerves?