The most concerning neurological symptoms requiring immediate emergency care (911) are sudden, unexplained, and "red-flag" events. These include sudden numbness or weakness (especially on one side), slurred speech, vision loss or double vision, severe confusion, sudden seizures, and loss of consciousness.
Common symptoms of neurological disorders include:
The "worst" neurological diseases are subjective, but based on global health burden (disability/death), the top conditions are Stroke, Migraine, Alzheimer's & Dementias, Neonatal Encephalopathy, Diabetic Neuropathy, Meningitis, Epilepsy, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Preterm Birth Complications, and Nervous System Cancers, highlighting that stroke and dementia cause the most lost health years, while migraine is a huge source of disability, according to WHO. Other severely debilitating conditions include Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and ALS, which are progressive neurodegenerative diseases.
Parkinson's is the fastest growing neurological condition, but there's still a lot we don't know about its causes. There's also a big gap in our knowledge about how global healthcare systems, race and ethnicity, and environment might affect the prevalence of Parkinson's.
You know you might have neurological issues if you experience persistent or sudden changes in movement (weakness, tremors, poor coordination, balance), sensation (numbness, tingling, chronic pain), cognition (memory loss, confusion, difficulty concentrating), or consciousness (seizures, fainting, confusion), alongside potential speech/swallowing problems or severe headaches. Since these symptoms overlap with other conditions, seeing a doctor for proper diagnosis through physical exams, imaging (MRI, CT), or tests is crucial.
These include fibromyalgia and vitamin B12 deficiency, muscular dystrophy (MD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), migraine, hypo-thyroidism, hypertension, Beçhets, Arnold-Chiari deformity, and mitochondrial disorders, although your neurologist can usually rule them out quite easily.
The specific causes of neurological problems vary, but can include genetic disorders, congenital abnormalities or disorders, infections, lifestyle or environmental health problems including malnutrition, and brain injury, spinal cord injury or nerve injury.
Here are some early signs that may indicate a neurological issue:
Trigeminal neuralgia
It is one of the most painful conditions known. It causes extreme, sporadic and sudden burning pain or electric shock sensation in the face, including the eyes, lips, scalp, nose, upper jaw, forehead, and lower jaw.
The most common of these is multiple sclerosis (MS). There are several other inflammatory disorders of the nervous system that need specialized care. At Mount Sinai, we have the expertise, experience, and resources to diagnose and treat these conditions.
Signs and symptoms that affect body movement and function may include:
Early warning signs of a brain tumor include new or worsening headaches (especially morning headaches or those waking you up), persistent nausea/vomiting, seizures (particularly in adults with no history), vision changes (blurry/double vision, vision loss), balance/coordination issues, and significant personality or cognitive changes like memory loss, confusion, or irritability, often accompanied by weakness, numbness, or speech/hearing problems. These symptoms, especially when persistent or worsening, warrant prompt medical attention as they can signal increased pressure or a tumor's impact on specific brain functions.
Symptoms of nervous system disorders
Common Neurological Tests
The 5-2-1 rule for Parkinson's disease (PD) is a simple screening tool to identify patients with Advanced PD, meaning their medication isn't controlling symptoms well enough; it stands for taking levodopa 5 or more times daily, experiencing 2 or more hours of "OFF" time daily (when symptoms return), and having 1 or more hour of troublesome dyskinesia (involuntary movements) daily, signaling it's time to discuss advanced treatment options with a doctor, according to this Parkinson's Association of SWFL blog and PubMed article.
Parkinsonism is a broad term comprising a clinical syndrome and presenting with various neurodegenerative diseases, which manifest with motor symptoms such as rigidity, tremors, bradykinesia, and unstable posture, leading to profound gait impairment.