According to a study published recently in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), almost one in five people on Medicare travel 50 or more miles one way to see a neurologist. Patients who require specialized neurologic care for diseases including brain cancer, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and multiple sclerosis (MS), travel long distances the most often.
Neurologists are doctors who specialize in diagnosing and treating diseases of the brain and the central nervous system. Since our brains and nervous system are part of the normal aging process, neurological issues are more common as we get older. In fact, according to a review of studies, aging is the main risk factor for most neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). The findings also showed that 10% of people aged 65 years or older have AD, and it becomes more common with increasing age.
