The goal of the Urgent Neurology Clinic is to see adult patients who require a new consultation with a Neurologist within 5 business days.
The purpose of the Urgent Neurology Clinic is to provide assessment, diagnosis and attachment to a primary neurologist for ongoing management. Patients who have previously seen a Neurologist (within the last 3 years) should contact their original Neurologist’s office if they have concerning symptoms.
Please click the headings below to learn more about the services provided by the Urgent Neurology Clinic.
The types of patients the Urgent Neurology Clinic would see have symptoms that are NEW and/or progressing (getting worse) over days or weeks. Some examples of symptoms may be:
- Weakness
- Binocular (both eyes) visual changes
- Bulbar symptoms
- Aphasia
- Worrisome headache (with other new neurological findings)
- Focal neurological deficits
- Episode(s) of altered or unexplained loss of consciousness related to:
- First time seizure
- Transient Global Amnesia
The types of people the Urgent Neurology clinic would NOT see include:
- Bell’s palsy *
- Chronic neurological conditions
- Concussion and Post-Concussion Syndrome (refer to: Calgary Brain Injury Program (CBIP) )
- Isolated Vertigo (refer to: Enhanced Primary Care Pathway: Vertigo )
- Monocular (one eye) vision loss
- Potential surgical concerns (including back pain without deficits, cauda equine)
- Neurological procedures (including lumbar puncture)
- Pain without any other neurological deficit (including facial pain)
- Syncope / fainting
- Temporal arteritis
- Transient Ischemic Attack / Stroke *
*If concern, consult Stroke Team or Stroke Prevention Clinic
Additionally, the clinic will NOT see patients who are:
- briefly visiting from out of province
- requiring admission
- currently admitted
- seen in ER by neurologist service: attending neurologist to decide disposition and follow-up
- under the care of a neurologist for same issue
- requesting medicolegal, WCB claims
- requesting second opinions
What will the doctor ask me?
Your doctor will ask questions about your symptoms; including what they are, when they started and whether they have been changing. They may ask you what makes your symptoms better or worse and if there are other symptoms that may help them better understand your condition. The doctor will ask if you or anyone else in your family has any medical conditions. They will review your medications and ask if you have allergies. They may ask you questions about where you live, if you are working and whether you smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol. Sometimes it is helping to bring someone with you to the appointment who can help you provide this information.
What should I expect when the doctor examines me?
Your doctor will examine you to better understand your condition. Nearly always, the doctor will ask you to take off your coat, socks and shoes in order to complete their exam. Sometimes the doctor may ask you to put on a hospital gown so that they can look at your muscles more closely. The exam usually begins by examining the eyes and face. Next, the arms and legs are checked for problems with movement and sensation. The doctor may check the reflexes in your arms and legs. They will check your coordination and will watch you walk.
What tests may be ordered by the doctor?
- Laboratory Tests
- EEG
- CT Scan
- MRI Scan
- Nerve Conduction Studies and EMG
- Lumbar Puncture
Confirming the Diagnosis and Ongoing Management
The cause or diagnosis of your neurological symptoms will decide what the course of action is for ongoing management and treatment. In all cases, it’s best for you if we can work with your family doctor to create a plan that will consider what is important for you.
For some symptoms, it may mean there is not a neurological issue. In these cases, you will be discharged from the clinic, and we will work with your family doctor to recommend next steps (for example, referral to another specialty)
For some symptoms, it may mean it’s a neurological issue which could potentially require surgery. In these cases, we will work with your family doctor to recommend next steps (for example, referral to a surgeon).
For some symptoms you may be diagnosed with a neurological condition which will mean ongoing management / care with a neurologist.
- Sometimes this will mean care through a General Neurology Clinic until your symptoms are managed. This will usually mean you will continue see the same Neurologist who saw you at your first appointment, in their General Neurology Clinic. These clinics are located at all four hospitals in Calgary.
- Sometimes this will mean care through a subspecialty clinic for long-term symptom management. Your first Neurologist may transfer your care to a ‘sub-specialist’ – or a Neurologist who has advanced training in a specific area of Neurology (for example, movement disorders or epilepsy). If this is the case, the Urgent Neurology Team will work with you, your primary care physician and the sub-specialty clinic to have you seen within a time-frame that makes sense for your ongoing care.
The purpose of the Urgent Neurology Clinic is to provide assessment, diagnosis and attachment to a primary neurologist for ongoing management. Patients who have previously seen a Neurologist (within the last 3 years) should contact their original Neurologist’s office if they have concerning symptoms.