Areas of Expertise

Neurology

The speciality field Neurology comprises the prevention, diagnosis, conservative treatment and rehabilitation of disorders of the central, peripheral and autonomic nervous system including the musculature. *

Examples of neurological disorders:
> Headache or migraine
> Circulatory disorders, haemorrhages or abnormity of blood vessels of the brain
   (e.g. stroke)
> Impaired coordination (vertigo, imbalance)
> Extrapyramidal and movement disorders (e.g. Parkinson´s disease, Ataxia, Restless
    legs Syndrome, Chorea Huntington)
> Inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system (e.g. multiple sclerosis,
   infections transmitted by ticks, meningitis)
> Tumors and abnormities of the brain and the spinal cord
> Impairment of consciousness and seizures (e.g. epilepsy, narcolepsy, syncopes)
> Nerve, nerve root and plexus disorders (e.g. carpal tunnel syndrome,
   spinal syndrome, polyneuropathy)
> Diseases of myoneural junction and muscle (e.g. myasthenia, muscle dystrophia)
> Affections of the nervous system through external influences (e.g. alcohol, diabetes,
   heavy metals)

Psychiatry

The speciality field Psychiatry comprises the prevention, diagnosis and somatic, psychotherapeutic and socio-psychiatric treatment and rehabilitation of primary psychic disorders and of disorders correlating to somatic disorders and toxic lesions, including social, psychosomatic and forensic aspects. *

Examples of psychiatric disorders:
> Mood disorders (e.g. depression, anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive
   disorder, bipolar disorder, mania)
> Psychosis and schizophrenia
> Disorders of adult personality and behaviour (e.g. borderline syndrome, dissociative
   disorders)
> Eating disorder (e.g. bulimia, anorexia)
> Stress-related disorders (e.g. acute sress reaction, post-traumatic stress disorder)
> Sleep disorders
> Impairment of concentration and attention (e.g. hyperkinetic attention deficit disorder)
> Psychosomatic impairment of somatic well-being (e.g. somatoform disorder)
> Nonorganic sexual dysfunction
> Mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance use
   (e.g. alcohol dependency, drug addiction)
> Mental retardation
> Memory impairment (e.g. Alzheimer´s disease, vascular dementia,
   dementia correlated to Parkinson´s disease)
> Mental disorders due to brain damage and dysfunction and to physical disease

Rehabilitative Medicine

Qualification in Rehabilitative Medicine complements a medical speciality field and comprises initiation and coordination of procedures of rehabilitation for occupational and social reintegration by interdisciplinary cooperation. *


*: Definition of the content of speciality fields as formulated by Ärztekammer Nordrhein