Neurologists
What are neurologists?
A neurologist is a medical doctor (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) who has completed medical school and a 4-5 year residency program in Adult or Pediatric Neurology. Neurology is the study of the nervous system, its diseases, and their treatment. Neurologists diagnose and treat traumatic brain injuries, including concussions. Medical providers may sometimes refer patients with a concussion to an Adult or Pediatric Neurologist.
The American Academy of Neurology published a position statement on sports concussion in youth (2020).
Neurologists and concussions
While patients with moderate to severe brain injury will see a neurologist in the acute care setting, most patients with a concussion do not get referred to a neurologist. Instead, they are referred to their primary care physician, a sports concussion clinic (or sports medicine clinic), or, for persisting symptoms after a concussion, to an outpatient rehabilitation clinic.
Neurology subspecialities
Medical providers may refer patients with persisting symptoms after a concussion to neurologists with subspecialty expertise such as sports neurology or headache neurology.
You can also look for a neurologist who has a subspecialty certification in Brain Injury Medicine.
Sports neurologists
Working with a sports neurologist who is affiliated with a sports concussion clinic is ideal, as it ensures a multidisciplinary approach. Some sports concussion clinics will accept patients whether or not the concussion was sports-related.
Headache neurologists
Patients who are experiencing persisting headaches after a concussion may be referred to a headache neurologist. Since most neurologists routinely treat headache disorders, they can diagnose and treat headaches related to concussion. Headache specialists are neurologists or other specialists who have additional training in treating chronic headaches and may offer advanced treatments, such as nerve blocks, when other treatments have not been successful.
Neurologists with a subspecialty certification in Brain Injury Medicine
Neurologists are one of three types of physicians who can get a subspecialty certification in Brain Injury Medicine; PM&R physicians (also called physiatrists) and psychiatrists can also get the certification. Brain injury medicine “is a subspecialty that involves having expertise in the prevention, evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation of individuals with acquired brain injury.” Concussions are an acquired brain injury, and so seeking out a neurologist with a Brain Injury Medicine subspecialty certification can be a good idea.
You may want to inquire if the doctor has experience with concussions, as some doctors with Brain Injury Medicine subspecialty certification focus more on severe traumatic brain injuries.
To be certified in Brain Injury Medicine, physicians must complete “one year of specialized training in brain injury medicine,” accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), and must pass an examination.
What will a neurologist do?
When you go to a neurologist appointment, you can expect them to run sensory, motor, and psychological tests (measured on standardized scales) to assess symptom severity. Depending on how long it has been since the concussion, the neurologist will recommend different treatment and rehabilitation regimens, which may include a short period of relative rest (immediately after the concussion) followed by a low-intensity non-contact exercise plan and physical therapy.
At times, patients who have suffered a concussion may receive medication as the first and only treatment. Neurologist Dr. Chris Giza, Director of the Steve Tisch BrainSPORT Program at UCLA, recommends that concussion patients avoid taking medications that create problematic side effects, and that medications only be used in conjunction with rehabilitative therapy (PT, OT, etc.) and lifestyle changes.
Who will a neurologist work with?
For rehabilitation, a neurologist will most often refer a concussion patient to a physical therapist. See our resources on Physical Therapy and Vestibular Therapy.
Neurologists may also refer patients to other healthcare providers, such as occupational therapists, neuropsychologists, or psychologists.
How to find a neurologist
When searching online, we suggest using search terms such as these: sports neurologist, headache neurologist, neurologist with concussion experience, or neurologist with a subspecialty certification in Brain Injury Medicine.
There is a search tool to check whether a doctor is board-certified in Brain Injury Medicine.
To use this tool, type in the doctor's name, your state, and use the dropdown menu to find and click on “Brain Injury Medicine.”
What if I'm not satisfied with my neurologist?
If you think that your neurologist isn’t helping enough or if you are exploring all your options, consider searching for another neurologist who specializes in headache neurology or sports neurology, or who has a subspecialty certification in Brain Injury Medicine.
Also consider seeing a physiatrist (also called a PM&R physician). Physiatrists work with a team of healthcare providers to diagnose and treat persisting symptoms after concussion, including physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and neuropsychologists. See our resources on physiatrists and on outpatient rehabilitation clinics, where many physiatrists work.
Listen to a neurologist talk about concussions
We recommend listening to neurologist Dr. Joel Morgenlander, who discusses concussions and how neurologists work with concussion patients, starting at minute 28 of the Brain & Life podcast, Getting Back in the Game After a Concussion with Olympian Elana Meyers Taylor.
Related articles from our blog
A study has identified a promising approach to treating cognitive deficits after a concussion, by inhibiting the integrated stress response.