Stroke & Brain Health
What Causes a Brain Aneurysm?
Amarish Dave, DO, Board-Certified Neurologist, explains what a brain aneurysm is, why one forms, which risk factors matter, and when it becomes an emergency.
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Questions Patients Ask
Straightforward answers to the questions that come up most often before a neurology visit. These pages are educational and do not replace an evaluation.
Common questions
When should memory loss be evaluated?
Memory loss should be evaluated when it is getting worse over time, when family members notice it, or when it interferes with everyday tasks such as medications, finances, appointments, or driving. Earlier evaluation makes it easier to identify treatable causes.
Read answer →What happens during a dementia evaluation?
A dementia evaluation combines a detailed history, a neurological examination, cognitive testing, laboratory studies, and brain imaging when appropriate. The goal is to determine whether cognition has measurably changed, identify the most likely cause, and find anything that can be treated.
Read answer →Can a neurologist diagnose Alzheimer's disease?
Yes. A neurologist diagnoses Alzheimer's disease by combining the history, a neurological examination, cognitive testing, laboratory studies, and brain imaging, with biomarker testing added when it is clinically appropriate.
Read answer →When should I see a neurologist for back pain?
See a neurologist when back pain is accompanied by pain traveling into a leg, numbness, tingling, or weakness, or when pain persists despite treatment. Those features suggest that a nerve or nerve root may be involved.
Read answer →Can carpal tunnel cause hand weakness?
Yes. When median nerve compression at the wrist is more advanced, carpal tunnel syndrome can cause weakness — most often affecting thumb strength and grip — along with numbness and loss of muscle bulk at the base of the thumb.
Read answer →What does an EMG test show?
EMG and nerve conduction studies measure how well nerves conduct signals and how muscles respond. Together they help determine whether a nerve is compressed or injured, where the problem is located, how severe it is, and whether it appears recent or long-standing.
Read answer →When should migraine be evaluated by a neurologist?
Migraine should be evaluated by a neurologist when headaches are frequent, when they are not adequately controlled, when the pattern changes, when acute medications are needed often, or when new neurological symptoms accompany the headaches.
Read answer →What happens after a first seizure?
After a first seizure, evaluation typically includes a detailed history from you and any witnesses, a neurological examination, laboratory studies, an EEG, and brain imaging. The goal is to determine whether it was a seizure, what may have provoked it, and what the risk of recurrence is.
Read answer →Can a workplace injury cause nerve damage?
Yes. Workplace injuries can affect nerves and nerve roots, producing numbness, tingling, burning pain, or weakness. Persistent symptoms after an injury deserve a neurological evaluation to characterize what is involved.
Read answer →Latest videos
Migraine & Headache
What Is Trigeminal Neuralgia?
Amarish Dave, DO, Board-Certified Neurologist, explains the sudden, electric shock-like facial pain of trigeminal neuralgia, its triggers, causes and treatment.
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Stroke & Brain Health
What Is a Carotid Ultrasound?
Amarish Dave, DO, Board-Certified Neurologist, explains what a carotid ultrasound checks, why neurologists order it, and what the results may mean.
Watch VideoBrain health guides
Nutrition, exercise and sleep are part of neurological treatment, not separate wellness topics. These guides explain what the evidence supports.
Brain Health and Dementia Risk Reduction
The modifiable factors most consistently linked to cognitive aging, and what they can and cannot promise.
Read guide →Brain-Healthy Nutrition
Practical, non-restrictive eating guidance that fits into neurological treatment plans.
Read guide →Exercise and Brain Health
What kind of activity, how much, and how it is adapted for specific neurological conditions.
Read guide →Sleep and Brain Health
Sleep problems affect memory, headache and seizure control — and many are treatable.
Read guide →Important notice
If you believe you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or seek emergency medical attention.
Need a Neurologist?
Choose the scheduling line for the state where you will be located for your appointment.
In-Person Neurology Visits
Available at three office locations:
Crystal Lake, Illinois
Woodstock, Illinois
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Telehealth Neurology Visits
Telehealth neurology appointments are available to patients located anywhere in Illinois or Wisconsin. You do not need to live near an office, but you must be physically located in Illinois or Wisconsin at the time of the appointment.
Learn about telehealth neurology →Call to schedule
Illinois appointments: 815-337-7100. Wisconsin appointments: 262-245-0535.
Choose your visit
Our office will confirm whether an in-person or telehealth visit is appropriate and provide the details.
Insurance and referrals
Insurance participation and referral requirements vary by plan. Our office will confirm what your plan requires before your visit.
If you believe you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or seek emergency medical attention.