About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffWhile you might first discuss your symptoms with your family doctor, he or she may refer you to a neurologist — a doctor who specializes in disorders of the brain and nervous system — for further evaluation.
What you can do
Because appointments can be brief, plan ahead and write a list that includes:
- Detailed descriptions of your symptoms, including when they started and if anything makes them better or worse
- Information about medical problems you've had in the past, such as strokes or head injuries
- Information about the medical problems of your parents or siblings
- All the medications and dietary supplements you take
- Questions you want to ask the doctor
What to expect from your doctor
In addition to conducting a physical exam, your doctor may also check your neurological health by testing your:
- Reflexes
- Muscle strength
- Muscle tone
- Senses of touch and sight
- Coordination
- Balance
- Dystonias fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/dystonias/detail_dystonias.htm. Accessed Oct. 22, 2010.
- Bang MS, et al. Cervical dystonia. In: Frontera WR, et al. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/223619158-5/1072359570/1678/124.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-4007-1..50107-3_1714. Accessed Oct. 22, 2010.
- Comelia C. Classification and evaluation of dystonia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 22, 2010.
- Singer C, et al. Cervical dystonia: Etiology and pathophysiology. Neurological Clinics. 2008;26(suppl 1):9.
- McNicoll L, et al. Dystonia. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2011. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?sid=1073503008&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..00013-5--s3170&isbn=978-0-323-05610-6&type=bookPage§ionEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..00013-5--s3170&uniqId=223955816-3. Accessed Oct. 25, 2010.
- Neurological diagnostic tests and procedures. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/misc/diagnostic_tests.htm. Accessed Oct. 25, 2010.
- Comella C. Treatment of dystonia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 25, 2010.
Find Mayo Clinic on