THE NEUROLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS OF ANXIETY
Part 1
Before discussing specific diseases and anxiety, we will briefly describe how the neurological
diagnosis is made. Because of extensive knowledge of the structure and function of the nervous system, and because it is possible to objectively
verify diagnoses with sophisticated measurements of the living brain, or at autopsy, diagnosis is more advanced in neurology than psychology.
There is a "Sherlock Holmes" detective aspect to the logical analysis of symptoms
leading to a diagnosis. The complexities and uncertainties about the operation
of the nervous system, however, are such that great experience and skill
are essential. It is both a science and an art.
The first task of the neurologist is to determine whether the patient is indeed
suffering from a disease of the nervous system. This may be extremely
" difficult. One alternative is disease of some other system. For example defective
vision could be caused by a cataract (a clouding over of the pupil) or a
rigidity in the lens that prevented sharp focusing. Another type of alternative
is that the symptoms result from a "software" disorder and should be
treated by a psychologist or psychiatrist or not treated at all. Having some
reason to believe that the symptoms are caused by a disease of the nervous
system, the neurologist assumes that one disease process and/or one lesion
can account for all of the symptoms. His problem is to determine what agent
of disease, acting in what location, could produce the full pattern of anxiety symptoms,
and no other symptoms.
'Thus, if a patient is paralyzed on the left side
of the body, it is necessary to account both for this paralysis and the lack of
any paralysis or other symptoms on the right side of the body.
The neurologist has three sources of information: the history of the
symptoms as described by the patient and her family, the neurological
examination (interview and observation of the patient), and the use of special
diagnostic techniques to gain direct information about events in the nervous
system. The history and neurological examination may be sufficient to
make a diagnosis; the special diagnostic tools may serve to confirm an almost
certain diagnosis, or they may be of essential importance in determining
the nature of the disease.
Our ability to find out what is going on inside the bony skull without
going inside is quite remarkable. We briefly review some of these techniques
here because they are clever and impressive and because they often playa
central role in the determination of whether symptoms point to a neurological
(hardware) or psychological (software) disturbance. Absence of evidence
of damage to the nervous system makes it more likely that the symptoms
have a psychological origin.
Samples of cerebro-spinal fluid, taken from the base of the spine, can reveal
evidence for internal bleeding, infection, and other sources of disease.
Abnormal pressure of the fluid is suggestive of tumors or other obstructions.
A whole family of techniques, including a dazzling array of computer hardware,
allows visualization of what is going on in the living brain, from the
outside.
For the Anxiety Treatment I recommend click this link:
http://theliberatormethod.com
diagnosis is made. Because of extensive knowledge of the structure and function of the nervous system, and because it is possible to objectively
verify diagnoses with sophisticated measurements of the living brain, or at autopsy, diagnosis is more advanced in neurology than psychology.
There is a "Sherlock Holmes" detective aspect to the logical analysis of symptoms
leading to a diagnosis. The complexities and uncertainties about the operation
of the nervous system, however, are such that great experience and skill
are essential. It is both a science and an art.
The first task of the neurologist is to determine whether the patient is indeed
suffering from a disease of the nervous system. This may be extremely
" difficult. One alternative is disease of some other system. For example defective
vision could be caused by a cataract (a clouding over of the pupil) or a
rigidity in the lens that prevented sharp focusing. Another type of alternative
is that the symptoms result from a "software" disorder and should be
treated by a psychologist or psychiatrist or not treated at all. Having some
reason to believe that the symptoms are caused by a disease of the nervous
system, the neurologist assumes that one disease process and/or one lesion
can account for all of the symptoms. His problem is to determine what agent
of disease, acting in what location, could produce the full pattern of anxiety symptoms,
and no other symptoms.
'Thus, if a patient is paralyzed on the left side
of the body, it is necessary to account both for this paralysis and the lack of
any paralysis or other symptoms on the right side of the body.
The neurologist has three sources of information: the history of the
symptoms as described by the patient and her family, the neurological
examination (interview and observation of the patient), and the use of special
diagnostic techniques to gain direct information about events in the nervous
system. The history and neurological examination may be sufficient to
make a diagnosis; the special diagnostic tools may serve to confirm an almost
certain diagnosis, or they may be of essential importance in determining
the nature of the disease.
Our ability to find out what is going on inside the bony skull without
going inside is quite remarkable. We briefly review some of these techniques
here because they are clever and impressive and because they often playa
central role in the determination of whether symptoms point to a neurological
(hardware) or psychological (software) disturbance. Absence of evidence
of damage to the nervous system makes it more likely that the symptoms
have a psychological origin.
Samples of cerebro-spinal fluid, taken from the base of the spine, can reveal
evidence for internal bleeding, infection, and other sources of disease.
Abnormal pressure of the fluid is suggestive of tumors or other obstructions.
A whole family of techniques, including a dazzling array of computer hardware,
allows visualization of what is going on in the living brain, from the
outside.
For the Anxiety Treatment I recommend click this link:
http://theliberatormethod.com