Neuro physicians are different to neurosurgeons because they do not deal with surgery but rather a diagnosis or treatment that does not require surgical intervention. Neuro physician and Neurosurgery are two different specialities, but they do share some similarities. Both require years of specialized training to be qualified as a neurosurgeon or neuro physician, respectively. However, the scope of practice for these two professions is very different.
Neuro Physician vs Neurosurgery
The main difference between Neuro physician and Neurosurgery is that Neuro physicians specialize primarily in nerve problems which can manifest in disorders of the brain, spine, and peripheral nerves. On the other hand, Neurosurgery is a surgical speciality that deals with disorders of the nervous system, such as the brain and spine.
Neuro physicians, however, do not require that level of training and can therefore provide care independently without being supervised by another doctor. They have completed medical school as well as an internship before entering into residencies in family medicine or pediatric neurology, where they get the required training in neurology.
Neurosurgery has a lot of risks and should only be considered if other treatments have failed to work. Neurosurgeons require many years of training before they are qualified for practice. They need to complete an internship, residency, fellowship, as well as many clinical hours prior to being allowed to operate on patients independently. As such, they are only able to work on patients under the supervision of a qualified neurosurgeon.
Comparison Table Between Neuro Physician and Neurosurgery
| Parameters of Comparison | Neuro Physician | Neurosurgery |
| Meaning | A neuro physician focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of neurological diseases and abnormalities through medication, surgery, physical therapy or other treatments. | Neurosurgery is a surgical speciality that deals with disorders of the nervous system, such as brain tumours, spinal cord injuries or lumbar disc herniations. |
| Job Titles | The Neuro physician is usually a neurologist. | A neurosurgeon or any other medical specialist that specializes in the neurological field. |
| Advantage | The advantages of being a Neuro physician are that they can focus on neurological disorders, have great job security and often work in the hospital setting. | The advantages of being a Neurosurgeon are that they can perform surgeries and treat patients with life-threatening neurological disorders, have high salary/compensation and careers in private practice. |
| Focus | Neuro Physicians typically diagnose and treat patients with neurological diseases. | Neurosurgery focuses on brain surgery (such as removing tumours). |
| Diagnose | Neuro physicians are medical doctors who specialize in medical training and diagnosis, conditions that affect your brain, spinal cord, nerves or muscles. | They are trained to diagnose neurological disorders like epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease as well as head injuries. |
What is Neuro Physician?
Neuro physicians are medical doctors who specialize in medical training and diagnosis, conditions that affect your brain, spinal cord, nerves or muscles. The treatment and prevention of neurological disorders such as strokes or tumours that occur on the central nervous system.
They may also be responsible for treating conditions like amnesia, epilepsy or Alzheimer’s disease, for naming just a few. A neuro physician is a doctor who specializes in the medical care of nerve-related health.
Their primary goals are to provide specialized medical care for nerve-related health, diagnose neurological disorders like epilepsy, Parkinson’s Disease etc., but they don’t specialize in treating these conditions surgically.
Neurology is a branch of medical science dealing with disorders and diseases affecting the nervous system and also deals with certain mental illnesses that are related to or affect other organs in the body. A neurologist can be a paediatrician, child psychiatrist, neurosurgeon, neuropathologist, or general neurologist.
What is Neurosurgery?
Neurosurgery is a surgical discipline that deals with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of neurological disorders. Neurosurgeons are experts in brain surgery for adults and children.
They can be responsible for any kind of tumour removal as well as brain surgeries to divert aneurysms or drain fluid from around the brains hemispheres. Other duties may include the installation of brain pacemakers, electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) electrodes.
They may be involved in the management of chronic pain conditions, migraines, treatment of brain injuries and rehabilitation after a stroke. A neurosurgeon is a doctor who specializes in treating conditions of the brain, spine and nerves. They are trained to diagnose neurological disorders like epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease as well as head injuries.
These include brain conditions, spinal cord problems, head injuries as well as other central nervous system issues. A neurosurgeon will also be involved in diagnosing and treating peripheral nerves along with their surrounding structures, which are not located in the head or spine.
Main Differences Between Neuro Physician and Neurosurgery
- Neuro physician treats diseases of the brain, spine and nerves. A Neurosurgeon specializes in surgery to treat conditions like epilepsy or Parkinson’s disease, for example, but a near physician focuses on providing specialized medical care for nerve-related health.
- Neuro physicians are employed by research institutions, pain clinics, and rehabilitation centres etc., where they primarily focus on providing care for people with injuries or illnesses affecting the nervous system, while a neurosurgeon is more likely to work in hospitals or private practices.
- Neuro physicians are medical doctors who specialize in medical training. The neurosurgeon is primarily concerned with treating these conditions surgically while the other doesn’t.
- Both neuro physicians and neurosurgeons are trained to diagnose neurological problems like epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia.
- A neurosurgeon is a physician who specializes in surgery of the spine and brain; they typically diagnose conditions that affect these areas, such as aneurysms or spinal cord tumours.
Conclusion
The difference between neuro-physician and neurosurgeons is based on their area of expertise: neurologists are trained to diagnose neurological problems like epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s.
One thing a neuro-physician will not be trained in is surgeries for tumours or lesions. Difference Between Neurosurgeons, on the other hand, will operate and remove tumours or lesions from the central nervous system to alleviate pressure when they are causing symptoms like headaches or seizures.
As a result of this difference in expertise between neuro-physicians and neurosurgeons, it is important for patients with neurological issues to understand which type of physician they are seeing and what their level of expertise is.
References
- https://www.jogi.co.in/articles/files/filebase/Archives/1985/apr/1985_244_248_Apr.pdf
- https://thejns.org/focus/view/journals/neurosurg-focus/12/3/foc.2002.12.3.6.xml