Diseases, injuries and disorders of the brain and nervous system are some of the most wide-ranging and difficult to treat in all of medicine. Neurological conditions can impair learning or mental function, affect balance and mobility, alter a patient's personality or cause debilitating, long-term pain. These conditions are treated by physicians in two closely related positions, neurologists and neurosurgeons.
Neurologists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases or conditions occurring in the brain and nervous system, as well as their supporting systems and tissues. Some focus on neurophysiology, using diagnostic tests such as electroencephalograms and electromyography to detect neurological conditions. Others specialize in the treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders, attempting to manage cerebral palsy, learning disabilities and similar chronic conditions. Neurologists might also specialize in pain management, treating patients with debilitating chronic pain or acute short-term pain. Vascular neurologists study and treat conditions of the circulatory system that affect the function of the brain or nerves.
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Neurosurgeons use a variety of therapies, from endoscopic microsurgery to radiation to traditional open surgery, to treat neurological conditions. These include traumas of the brain and spine, tumors, strokes and aneurysms, and many other conditions of the spine, brain and skull base areas. These are complex areas of practice, and neurosurgeons' work often overlaps with that of neurologists, orthopedic surgeons, and plastic or reconstructive surgeons. Often, several of these practitioners will work collaboratively with a single patient to ensure a successful outcome in complex procedures.
Similarities and Differences
Neurosurgery is closely aligned with neurology, and both require an in-depth understanding of the nervous system and its functions. Conditions that require management, or can be improved by medications or other therapies, are generally treated by neurologists. Neurologists are also more likely to act as diagnosticians, isolating and defining neurological conditions for neurosurgeons to rectify. When diagnosis reveals a physical cause for neurological conditions, neurosurgeons can usually perform a surgical procedure to remove or correct that condition, often bringing about a dramatic improvement in the patient's condition. Both neurologists and neurosurgeons can use minimally invasive endoscopic or catheter-based procedures, using miniature instruments to repair or reinforce blood vessels in the brain.
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One key difference between neurology and neurological surgery is income. The annual compensation for physicians practicing in neurology in 2017 was $249,000, which was up 3 percent from the previous year. The income for physicians in general surgery was $352,000, up 9 percent from the previous year. Neurosurgeons out-earn their neurologist peers by a substantial margin.
Neurologists with less than 5 years of experience earn an annual salary of $192,000 while those with more than 20 years of experience earn an average of $239,000 a year. Neurosurgeons, on the other hand, earn an average annual salary of $301,000 in their first five years of work and an average of $444,000 with over 20 years of experience.
- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis: Neurology
- The Brain and Spine Institute of North Houston: Do I Need a Neurologist or Neurosurgeon?
- UCLA, David Geffen School of Medicine: Neurologist vs. Neurosurgeon - A Brain Surgeon's Perspective
- Medscape: Medscape Physician Compensation Report 2017
- Payscale: Physician/Doctor - Neurologist Salary
- Payscale: Neurosurgeon Salary