Neurological Disorders

Neuromuscular disorders affect the nerves that control your voluntary muscles — the ones you use to move, breathe, and swallow. When these nerves malfunction or deteriorate, the muscles they control can weaken, waste away, or become unable to function properly.

This is one of Dr. Varela's primary areas of expertise. He has extensive experience with electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction studies, which are essential diagnostic tools for identifying the precise nature and location of neuromuscular problems.

Symptoms can include progressive muscle weakness, muscle cramps or twitching (fasciculations), difficulty walking or maintaining balance, trouble swallowing or speaking, or numbness and tingling in the hands and feet.

Dementia is not a single disease — it's an umbrella term for a range of conditions that affect memory, thinking, behavior, and the ability to perform everyday activities. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause, accounting for 60–80% of cases, but there are many other forms that require different approaches to care.

Early diagnosis is critical. The sooner a cognitive decline is identified and properly classified, the sooner treatment and management strategies can be put in place to slow progression, maintain quality of life, and support both the patient and their family.

Warning signs include difficulty remembering recent events, getting lost in familiar places, trouble managing finances or following instructions, changes in mood or personality, and repeating the same questions or stories.

The spine houses and protects the spinal cord — the main pathway for signals between the brain and the rest of the body. When structures in the cervical (neck) or lumbar (lower back) regions degenerate or compress surrounding nerves, patients can experience a wide range of neurological symptoms far beyond simple back pain.

Neurological evaluation of spinal conditions goes deeper than orthopedic or pain management — it focuses on how spinal changes are affecting nerve function, identifying whether symptoms stem from the spine, the nerve roots, or the spinal cord itself.

Symptoms may include neck or back pain radiating into the arms or legs, weakness in the hands or feet, difficulty with fine motor tasks like buttoning a shirt, problems with balance or walking, and in advanced cases, bladder or bowel dysfunction.

A pinched nerve occurs when surrounding tissues — bone, cartilage, muscles, or tendons — apply too much pressure to a nerve. This disrupts the nerve's function and can cause pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness that often radiates far from the actual point of compression.

Pinched nerves can occur anywhere along the nervous system, but are most common in the neck, lower back, wrist (carpal tunnel syndrome), and elbow (cubital tunnel syndrome). Accurate diagnosis requires knowing not just where the pain is, but tracing it back to its neurological origin.

Common symptoms include a sharp, burning, or aching pain; numbness or decreased sensation in the area served by the nerve; tingling ("pins and needles"); and muscle weakness in the affected area.

A stroke occurs when blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted — either by a blockage (ischemic stroke) or a rupture of a blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke). Within minutes, brain cells begin to die. Stroke is the leading cause of long-term disability in the United States and a top cause of death.

Neurological care after a stroke is essential both for managing its immediate effects and for reducing the risk of a future event. A transient ischemic attack (TIA), often called a "mini-stroke," is a medical emergency that frequently precedes a major stroke and requires urgent evaluation.

Warning signs follow the acronym FAST: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 911. Other symptoms include sudden confusion, vision problems, severe headache, and loss of balance or coordination.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that primarily affects movement. It develops when neurons in a specific area of the brain begin to break down or die, reducing the production of dopamine — a chemical essential for smooth, coordinated muscle movement.

While there is currently no cure, the right combination of medication, lifestyle strategies, and ongoing neurological monitoring can significantly slow progression and help patients maintain independence and quality of life for many years.

Symptoms typically begin on one side of the body and include resting tremor (shaking at rest), rigidity, bradykinesia (slowness of movement), and postural instability. Non-motor symptoms such as sleep problems, depression, constipation, and loss of smell often appear years before motor symptoms.

Epilepsy and migraine are among the most common neurological conditions, yet both are frequently undertreated or mismanaged. Each requires an accurate diagnosis before an effective treatment plan can be built — and that diagnosis starts with a thorough neurological evaluation.

Epilepsy is characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Seizures vary widely in appearance — from brief staring spells to full convulsions — and not every episode that looks like a seizure is one. Proper classification is essential for choosing the right treatment.

Migraine is far more than a bad headache. It is a neurological disorder that can cause debilitating pain, nausea, light and sound sensitivity, and in some cases aura — visual or sensory disturbances that precede the headache. Chronic migraine, defined as 15 or more headache days per month, significantly impacts quality of life and requires a proactive management strategy.

The nervous system is extraordinarily complex, and neurological disease takes many forms. Dr. Varela provides evaluation and care for the full range of neurological conditions — not just the ones listed on this page. If something is affecting your brain, spinal cord, or nerves, it's worth a neurological evaluation.

Many patients arrive with a working diagnosis from another provider; others come in with unexplained symptoms that haven't fit neatly into a category. Either way, a thorough and unhurried evaluation is the starting point for answers.

If your condition isn't listed above, that doesn't mean we can't help. Reach out and describe your symptoms — we'll let you know if a consultation with Dr. Varela is the right next step.