The neurology team at Hattiesburg Clinic provides evaluation and treatment of disorders affecting the nervous system in both the inpatient and outpatient setting. A neurologist is a physician who has been trained to treat disorders of the nervous system, which include diseases of the brain, spinal cord, nerves and muscles.
The autonomic nervous system regulates the function of the body’s internal organs, such as heart rate, blood pressure, digestion and body temperature. People with an autonomic disorders have trouble regulating one or more of these systems, which can result in fainting, lightheadedness, fluctuating blood pressure and other symptoms.
Dementia is a general term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving and other thinking abilities that are severe enough to interfere with daily life. They also affect behavior, feelings and relationships. Disorders grouped under the general term “dementia” are caused by abnormal brain changes.
Epilepsy is a central nervous system disorder in which brain activity becomes abnormal, causing seizures or periods of unusual behavior, sensations and sometimes loss of awareness.
A balance disorder is a condition that makes you feel unsteady or dizzy. If you are standing, sitting or lying down, you might feel as if you are moving, spinning or floating. If you are walking, you might suddenly feel as if you are tipping over.
A headache is a painful sensation in any part of the head, ranging from sharp to dull, that may occur with other symptoms. A migraine is a headache of varying intensity. A migraine can cause severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one side of the head. It is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine attacks can last for hours to days, and the pain can be so severe that it interferes with your daily activities.
Memory disorders are the result of damage to neuroanatomical structures that hinders the storage, retention and recollection of memories. Memory disorders can be progressive or they can be immediate, including disorders resulting from head injury. These disorders include: Alzheimer’s Disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, frontotemporal dementia, HIV dementia, mild cognitive impairment, normal pressure hydrocephalus and vascular dementia.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord. This disorder causes the immune system to attack the protective sheath that covers nerve fibers and causes communication problems between your brain and the rest of your body. Eventually, the disease can cause permanent damage or deterioration of the nerves.
Neuromuscular disorders affect the nerves that control voluntary muscles and the nerves that communicate sensory information back to the brain. Nerve cells send and receive electrical messages to and from the body to help control voluntary muscles. When the neurons become unhealthy or die, communication between the nervous system and muscles breaks down. As a result, muscles weaken and waste away. These disorders include: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, myasthenia gravis, myopathy, myositis, including polymyositis and dermatomyositis, peripheral neuropathy and spinal muscular atrophy.
Peripheral neuropathy, a result of damage to the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord (peripheral nerves), often causes weakness, numbness and pain, usually in your hands and feet. It can also affect other areas of your body. Peripheral neuropathy can result from traumatic injuries, infections, metabolic problems, inherited causes and exposure to toxins. One of the most common causes is diabetes
Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that leads to shaking, stiffness and difficulty with walking, balance and coordination. Parkinson’s symptoms usually begin gradually and get worse over time. As the disease progresses, people may have difficulty walking and talking.
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of your brain is interrupted or reduced, preventing brain tissue from getting oxygen and nutrients.
A tremor is a rhythmic shaking movement in one or more parts of your body. It is involuntary, meaning that you cannot control it. This shaking happens because of muscle contractions. A tremor is most often in your hands, but it could also affect your arms, head, vocal cords, trunk and legs. It may come and go, or it may be constant. A tremor can happen on its own or be caused by another disorder.
