At Sharlin Health and Neurology, we believe that everyone has the potential for a healthy and happy life. We also believe that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to health. That’s why we offer a unique 5 Pillar System that adapts to each individual’s needs. The first pillar of this system is IDENTIFY. To achieve success, you must first identify what is wrong and how it is impacting your life. Only then can you begin to address the problem areas head-on. With our help, you can finally overcome your struggles and reclaim your health!
Tests Should Make Sense
Localization is absolutely critical, and that means understanding where within the nervous system the problem is coming from.
I will often hear people say, “Why don’t you do this or that test?” We at Sharlin use specific tests, but the point is, I’ve seen tests that make absolutely no sense to a neurologist because they really fail to take the localization step. Some may test for antibodies from all different parts of the nervous system that have nothing to do with one another.
Localization is absolutely critical. In order to localize a treatment properly, it’s important that you understand where within the nervous system your problem originates based on an examination of the history and physical findings.
Once we have the localization, we can then think about the various causes.
Where could the condition come from?
There are different types of things that can cause health problems and neurologic disorders. Some of these are congenital. Other problems can be acquired, like if you get injured. These are usually easy to see because of your health history.
Demyelinating Disorders
However, there are things like infections and what we call demyelinating disorders, like in the case of multiple sclerosis and other inflammatory demyelinating disorders. Have you heard of neuromyelitis optica? This is a disease that attacks the nerves that connect the eyes to the brain and/or the spinal cord. This is associated with specific antibodies.
Metabolic and Toxic Disorders
Then, we must also consider cancer, metabolic disorders, and toxic disorders. Disorders of toxicity are often lumped together with metabolic disorders. You could probably have a Vitamin B12 deficiency or low or high thyroid hormone levels that can affect you.
Speaking of hormones, in our practice, we focus a lot on gonadal hormones or sex hormones.
Too often, these are not checked when people come in with brain fog, depression, anxiety, or just a sense of overall weakness or fatigue. In men, there might be difficulty getting an erection or just a lack of libido. These affect women as well. It’s crucial to look at hormone levels.
And by the way, these hormones are critical to brain health. We’re not just talking about restoring hormone levels for reproductive purposes. We may be restoring hormones to improve intimacy, and that’s certainly important. But we want to think about hormones for the brain, heart, and muscles; to help you balance or control your glucose; to help correct cholesterol, and improve bone health.
Paroxysmal Disorders
Paroxysmal disorders are a type of neurologic disorder characterized by recurrent, sudden attacks or episodes. While the exact causes of these disorders are unknown, several tests and imaging studies suggest that they may be caused by dysfunction in the brain’s circuitry. Many different types of paroxysmal disorders have been described, including migraine attacks, epilepsy, and sleep disorders. While each type of disorder has its own unique symptoms, all paroxysmal disorders share one common feature: the sudden onset of symptoms. In some cases, the attacks may be so brief that they go unnoticed. In other cases, they may last for several minutes or even hours.
Vascular Disorders
Conditions where the blood vessel is blocked in the brain, such as stroke, can include bleeding-type strokes or brain bleeds. There can also be conditions where there is inflammation of the blood vessels, called vasculitis.
Degenerative Disorders
Lastly, there are degenerative disorders of the brain or sometimes in other parts of the nervous system. These can include Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia or Frontotemporal dementia, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, and Huntington’s Disease.
Without localization, it’s not possible to think of a list of explanations for a given set of concerns or problems that you might have. We can’t think about those categories of disease until we decide where in the nervous system the problem is coming from. Once there is a list of reasonable explanations, we’re then going to consider what tests need to be applied.
The tests come last
The tests don’t come first. We don’t just have tests done at the doctor. This often leads to what are called “false positives” and “false negatives.” Sometimes, these will even result in more tests that are increasingly invasive and dangerous. Potentially, these will subject you to dangerous treatments that are not indicated and are not appropriate because they’re not the right treatment. Sometimes, some treatments are not necessary, no matter how safe or unsafe they are.
We want to avoid that pitfall by starting with a review of all past medical and social histories, going through the physical examination, considering where the problem is coming from, going through the list of possible explanations, and then finally, based on that list of possible explanations, performing the correct test.
No to Misdiagnosing
At Sharlin Health and Neurology, we see people who are misdiagnosed or who have simply gone to many doctors and not gotten the correct diagnosis.
This is where we need to start. It may seem a lot like traditional medicine. Honestly, this is how traditional medicine should be practiced, but too often we cut corners. We do tests that are not appropriate. We don’t spend time listening. We don’t dig deeply into and through the problem. This leads to incorrect diagnoses and, potentially, someone getting hurt.
We always must start with Identify – the first pillar at Charlotte Health Neurology.
I am so excited for you to see the next pillar. It’s when we INVESTIGATE all of your contributing factors behind getting sick in order to figure out how best to help YOU based on what generated symptoms and why they occurred, which will include some functional medicine insights too. The content is coming soon, but until then make sure not to miss my other blog posts by following this link.
We understand that it can be frustrating not knowing what is wrong or where to turn for help, but our team is here to guide you through every step of the process. Schedule a discovery call with us today, and let us show you how we can put our experience and expertise to work for you. Together, we can find a solution to your health concerns and improve your quality of life. Thank you for reading this blog post and taking an interest in Sharlin Health and Neurology.
We want to rule out all other potential causes before moving on to more expensive and invasive tests. Our team is experienced and qualified, so you can be sure that you’re in good hands. We’d be happy to schedule a discovery call with you. During this call, we can discuss your symptoms in more detail and come up with a plan tailored specifically for you.
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DISCLAIMER: The information in this email is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All content is for general informational purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/health professional