What is a Neurosurgeon?

A neurosurgeon is a particularly skilled clinical health practitioner who diagnoses and treats situations that have an effect on your apprehensive machine — your brain, spinal twine and nerves. Neurosurgeons perform surgical operation on your fearful device, however they can also provide nonsurgical treatments. They usually strive all nonoperative remedy techniques — like medications, steroid injections and bodily cures — before recommending surgical treatment.

What does a neurosurgeon do?

A neurosurgeon assesses, diagnoses and treats conditions that affect your body’s nervous system, which includes your brain, spinal cord and spinal column, and all of your nerves that extend from your spinal cord.

While neurosurgeons can perform complex surgery in your spine and brain, they often suggest nonsurgical or conservative care first. For example, if you have chronic back pain, your neurosurgeon may first recommend anti-inflammatory drugs and/or physical therapy. If your pain doesn’t respond to these treatments, your neurosurgeon may recommend surgery, if possible.

A neurosurgeon is skilled in several surgical and procedure techniques, including:

• Open surgery.

• Minimally invasive surgery.

• Endoscopic surgery.

• Microsurgery.

• Radiosurgery.

• Endovascular surgery.

• Chronic pain interventional procedures.

What conditions do neurosurgeons treat?

• Brain tumors.

• Carpal tunnel syndrome.

• Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak.

• Chronic pain in your back or neck.

• Congenital brain conditions, such as Chiari malformations and arachnoid cysts.

• Congenital spinal column conditions, such as spina bifida and tethered spinal cord.

• Essential tremor.

• Herniated disks.

• Hydrocephalus.

• Intracranial aneurysms.

• Multiple sclerosis (MS).

• Parkinson’s disease.

• Pinched nerves.

• Sciatica.

• Seizure disorders, such as epilepsy.

• Spinal bone spurs (osteophytes).

• Spinal stenosis.

• Spinal fractures.

• Spinal tumors.

• Spinal deformities, such as scoliosis and spondylolisthesis.

• Traumatic head, brain, neck or spine injuries.