WHY SHOULD YOU GET A BRAIN CHECK?
Most people would have check ups with a doctor from their youth through working life and retirement for a variety of reasons including school health checks, employment health checks, and during working life – Executive health checks. Although these checks are quite good in screening for diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and lipids, kidney disease, heart disease and some cancer markers, they are quite inadequate for checking the Brain. The Brain is the most important part of You. You need to use your Brain to do your work and to move your body, effectively. The Brain is also prone to diseases including cerebrovascular disease (blood vessel blockage or bleeding) which can lead to Strokes , Brain tumors including cancer, Epilepsy, Infection, Dementia, and Neuro Degenerative diseases such as Parkinsons disease. More young people are now seen with these brain diseases. Early detection could make a big difference in effectively treating and solving these Brain problems before the Brain gets damaged. Brain damage and injury are difficulty to reverse and we still don’t have good technologies to repair and replace the Brain yet.
WHO SHOULD GET A BRAIN CHECK?
- Headaches especially if they are persistent and severe.
- Giddyness, Spinning of the head including vertigo
- Seizures including Epilepsy
- Sudden weakness of the limbs
- Loss of Consciousness
- Sudden loss of the senses such as hearing,vision,smell,taste and feeling.
- Difficulty with speech including understanding what is spoken to you and expressing yourself to others
- Tremors of the hands and limbs or uncontrollable movements of the hands and limbs
- Problems with Memory and forgetfulness
WHAT IS DONE DURING A BRAIN CHECK?
A Specialist Brain Check involves meeting with a Brain Specialist at a proper Brain Center. After taking a history of your current health and any prior health issues, a physical examination is done to assess Gait, Movement, Speech,Hearing, Vision, Sensation, Strength and Reflexes. Depending on the findings further tests including Scans could then be ordered in order to more accurately determine any brain problems.
WHAT ARE THE SPECIALIST BRAIN SCANS AND TESTS?
- MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) of the Brain
- CT (Computed Tomography) of the Brain
- NeuroMetrics and PsychoMetrics Brain Function Tests including Digital Brain Function Tests
- Cerebral Angiograms including CT Angiogram, MR Angiogram and Catheter Angiograms
- PET (Positron Emission Tomography) Brain Scans including PET-MRI of the Brain
- EEG (ElectroEncephaloGram) including Video EEG
- Audiograms and Vestibular Function Tests
This is not an exhaustive list. Your Brain Specialist will determine the tests that may need to be done depending on the clinical diagnostic posibilities.
