Neurology
Assessment of stroke, seizures, headache, neuropathy and other disorders of the brain, spinal cord and nerves.
Neurological symptoms frighten people more than almost anything else, and with reason. A sudden weakness on one side, a first seizure in adulthood, a headache that is different from every headache before it, these need proper assessment quickly rather than reassurance.
Our neurology service assesses and manages stroke and its aftermath, seizure disorders, headache and migraine, peripheral neuropathy, dizziness and disorders of movement, working closely with internal medicine, cardiology and physiotherapy.
Stroke: time is brain
Stroke is a medical emergency in exactly the way a heart attack is, and it is treated in Nigeria with far less urgency than it deserves. Every minute of delay costs surviving brain tissue.
Learn the warning signs and act on them immediately. Sudden drooping on one side of the face. Sudden weakness in one arm. Sudden slurred or confused speech. Sudden loss of vision, severe unexplained headache, or loss of balance. If any of these appear, get to a hospital at once. Do not wait to see if it passes and do not go to a pharmacy first.
After a stroke, the work is preventing the next one. That means finding the cause, controlling blood pressure aggressively, managing atrial fibrillation and diabetes, addressing lipids, and rehabilitation starting as early as it is safe to begin.
Seizures and epilepsy
A first seizure in an adult requires investigation, not just treatment. We look for provoked causes such as low glucose, electrolyte disturbance, infection, alcohol withdrawal or drugs, and where none is found we investigate for an underlying epilepsy with imaging and electroencephalography.
Epilepsy in Nigeria still carries a heavy weight of stigma and a great deal of misinformation, and many patients are treated first outside the medical system. It is a condition of the brain, it is not spiritual, it is not contagious, and it is usually controllable with the right medication at the right dose.
Headache that is not ordinary
Most headaches are tension type or migraine and are managed medically. A small proportion signal something serious, and those are the ones we look for. A headache that is sudden and severe from the first second, one that comes with fever and neck stiffness, one that follows head injury, one that wakes you from sleep or is worse in the morning, or one that comes with new neurological signs, all need urgent assessment.
What this will cost you
Cost depends on what you actually need, and we would rather quote you accurately than post a figure that turns out not to apply. Call the front desk or send us a message with what you have been told so far, and we will give you the figure before anything is booked. If you hold an HMO plan we will check what it covers for this specific treatment first.
Common questions
What should I do if I think someone is having a stroke?
Bring them to hospital immediately, note the time symptoms started because that time determines which treatments are possible, and do not give food or drink in case swallowing is affected.
Can epilepsy be cured?
Many people become seizure free on medication, and some can eventually come off treatment under specialist supervision. It should never be stopped abruptly or without medical advice.
Who you will see
Care in this department is coordinated by our clinical team at Magodo, with specialist input arranged where your condition calls for it. If you would like to be seen by a particular clinician, say so when you book and we will arrange it where the clinic schedule allows.
Next step
Speak to someone now, or book a time that suits you
The front desk answers at every hour of the day. If it is urgent, call. If it can wait, the booking form takes about two minutes.