You may be experiencing recurring headaches and not understand the root cause. When you visit your general physician, they prescribe medications that only provide temporary relief. In this case, your physician might refer you to a neurologist who performs tests and diagnoses certain ailments. If the neurologist determines that you need surgery, they will refer you to a neurosurgeon. A neurosurgeon is the physician who performs the required surgery to relieve you of your persistent headaches. However, you might still be unsure about the differences between a neurologist and a neurosurgeon. This article aims to explain these differences for those who are curious.
Key Takeaways
- Neurosurgeons can operate, while neurologists cannot.
- Neurologists are better at diagnosis, while neurosurgeons are better at surgery.
- Neurosurgeons spend 5-6 extra years in training in surgery, including surgery of a particular body part.
A neurosurgeon is licensed to operate on a patient’s body part, requiring 6-7 years of training in general surgery and specialization in a specific body part, such as the brain, spine, or skull. This training occurs after medical school, an internship, and specialization in neurology. Neurosurgeons handle cases that can be solved or treated with surgery alone.
On the other hand, a neurologist is a physician who has specialized in neurology, just like a neurosurgeon, but has not undertaken special training in surgical procedures. This is why they are not capable of performing surgery. However, neurologists have more expertise in diagnosis, and in the majority of cases, problems related to nerves and the nervous system are treated by neurologists without having to recommend the case to a neurosurgeon.
Neurosurgeons are required for brain tumors and pinched nerves that cannot be treated without surgery, while neurologists are needed in all other cases of seizures, headaches, tremors, burning, numbness, and even Parkinson’s disease. The difference in focus during their training, where a neurologist concentrates more on the study of neurology while a neurosurgeon focuses on surgery of different internal organs of the body, is what makes all the difference in their treatment methods.
Due to their expertise in operating on patients, neurosurgeons typically earn more than neurologists. In the United States, neurologists earn around $200,000 to $300,000, while neurosurgeons earn around $400,000 per annum.
